BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Nouri al-Maliki, leader of Iraq’s State of Law Coalition, has warned that any internal conflict over the state’s efforts to monopolize weapons would be catastrophic for the country, while affirming that the government and its political backers will not allow the nation to be dragged into civil war.
Speaking during a meeting with political analysts, Maliki said Iraq is in a “sensitive phase” that demands high responsibility and warned of efforts to create political turmoil. 
He emphasized that the process of restricting arms to the state must be carried out without tension, cautioning that any confrontation could threaten the stability of all communities.
“The state and the Coordination Framework will never allow the country to be dragged into internal conflict,” Maliki said, according to a statement from his office. 
He stressed the need for a national and regional vision to prevent Iraq from becoming an arena for settling regional and international disputes.
Maliki also called for accelerating the completion of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s cabinet and filling vacant ministerial posts. He said criticism of the government’s performance should not be interpreted as support for its replacement but rather as an effort to address shortcomings and reform its course.
The comments come as Baghdad approaches a September 30 deadline for the withdrawal of the U.S.-led occupation and the start of a gradual transition to bring all weapons under state control. 
National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji has stated that the weapons consolidation process will proceed “without provocations” and through dialogue, describing direct confrontation with armed factions as a “red line”.
The disarmament push has faced resistance from some resistance factions that have linked the issue to the departure of foreign forces. 
Meanwhile, Iraqi lawmakers and analysts have warned against U.S. interference in internal affairs, calling for any future agreements with Washington to be reviewed by parliament.
The push for weapons monopolization has drawn scrutiny regarding the role of the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Baghdad, Steven Fagan. 
Iraqi political analyst Ibrahim al-Siraj warned that Fagan’s policies could pose a serious risk to Iraq’s sovereignty, particularly given the complexity of the current political landscape. 
Al-Siraj cautioned that the U.S. may attempt to influence Iraqi political and sovereign decisions under diplomatic or political pretexts, and stressed that Washington’s approach should not become a tool for imposing agendas that contradict Iraq’s national interests.
“The upcoming period requires vigilance against any political moves that may aim to affect Iraqi decisions or reshape the domestic scene according to foreign viewpoints,” al-Siraj said. 
He added that Iraq must maintain its sovereign decision-making and not allow any external party to interfere in its internal affairs. Relations with Washington, he emphasized, should be based on mutual interests and respect for Iraq’s sovereignty.
Iraqi lawmaker Abbas Hussein reiterated the need for any future agreements with the United States to be reviewed by parliament. 
He stressed that Iraq’s interests lie in the withdrawal of U.S. forces and that the government should seriously pursue their exit. Hussein also emphasized the importance of blocking U.S. efforts to dominate Iraq and preserving the country’s national and sovereign decision-making.