Kataib Hezbollah denies report on militia disarmament, calls Reuters story ‘fabricated’

BAGHDAD — Kataib Hezbollah, one of Iraq’s most powerful Iran-backed militias, on Monday denied a Reuters report claiming Iran-aligned factions were prepared to disarm to avoid escalating tensions with the United States, calling the report “false” and “fabricated.”

In a statement, Kataib Hezbollah claimed Reuters had incorrectly attributed remarks to a commander, asserting the comments “do not reflect our core principles or official positions.”

“No statements attributed to Kataib Hezbollah are issued through any media outlets other than our official spokesperson, Mr. Mohammed Mohie, and our military spokesperson, Mr. Jaafar Al-Husseini,” the statement said. “Any statements attributed to others are false and constitute outright fabrication.”

The group urged local and international media “to maintain accuracy and credibility by obtaining information from genuine sources,” adding it reserved the right “to pursue legal action against media outlets and individuals who engage in misinformation.”

Reuters is one of the world’s largest and most reputable international news agencies, renowned for its global network of correspondents and rigorous editorial standards.

It reported on Monday, citing anonymous militia commanders and Iraqi officials, that several Iran-aligned factions — including Kataib Hezbollah — were prepared to disarm amid mounting U.S. pressure. One unnamed Kataib Hezbollah commander was quoted as saying, “Trump is ready to take the war with us to worse levels, we know that, and we want to avoid such a bad scenario.”

The report also cited Izzat Al-Shahbandar, a senior Shiite politician close to the governing alliance, as saying that negotiations between militia leaders and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani were “very advanced,” with militias acknowledging the risk of U.S. airstrikes.

Sudani’s foreign affairs adviser, Farhad Alaaeldin, told Reuters the prime minister remained committed to controlling weapons through “constructive dialogue.” However, Sudani has also publicly rejected external pressure on the Popular Mobilization Forces, saying, “It is unacceptable to make demands and impose conditions on Iraq, especially when it comes to dismantling the PMF.”

The militias are part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a network of hardline Shiite factions closely aligned with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These groups have claimed numerous attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets in Iraq and Syria, particularly since the start of the Gaza war in late 2023.

The U.S. State Department reiterated its stance in response to the Reuters report, saying, “These forces must respond to Iraq’s commander-in-chief and not to Iran.” A U.S. official also expressed skepticism that any disarmament would be lasting, citing prior instances in which armed groups temporarily halted attacks under international pressure.

Reuters noted that the IRGC declined to comment and that neither the Israeli nor Iranian foreign ministries responded by the time of publication.

Other militia leaders have also publicly rejected the idea of disarming. Akram Al-Kaabi, leader of Harakat Al-Nujaba, said, “We, in Harakat Al-Nujaba, have not and will not lay down our weapons … and we possess heavy weaponry.” He added that while Western countries pursue dialogue, his group refuses to negotiate with “the enemy.”

Qais Al-Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, also opposed disarmament, stating that the group’s weapons are used solely against foreign threats and do not play a role in internal conflict.

“These arms remain disciplined and do not pose a threat,” he said. “Discussions about disarmament would only be appropriate if Iraq achieves full sovereignty and faces no external dangers.”