Iraq PM faces crisis as Shia groups defy disarmament

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is confronting a mounting crisis as a September 30 deadline to bring all weapons under state control approaches, with powerful Shia paramilitaries like Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba refusing to disarm. The standoff, driven by US pressure amid the war on Iran and economic woes, threatens Iraq's constitutional order and could lead to sanctions and oil export bans if unresolved. Analysts suggest the deadline may be extended to December.