Irfan Siddiq, the UK Ambassador to Iraq, Who Called for Armed Groups to Hand Over Their Weapons and Enter the Political Process

The statements have drawn sharp criticism from Iraqi academics, researchers, and activists who view them as foreign interference in the country's affairs. In a television interview, Siddiq claimed that the continued opposition of armed groups to disarmament and the monopoly of weapons in the hands of the government could lead to armed conflict in the future. He also stated that the UK and the international community will support the Iraqi government in exercising its sovereignty.

Ahmed Ali Jawad, a university professor and Iraqi researcher, responded to the remarks by emphasizing that dialogue and disagreement among Iraqis on issues such as the weapons of resistance groups is natural, but the involvement of foreign parties in such matters is unacceptable. He described the UK Ambassador's remarks as interference in Iraq's affairs and claimed that such positions are raised in line with the agendas of the West, the United States, and the Zionist regime in Iraq and the region. Ahmed Abdulrahman, a security affairs researcher, also considered the UK Ambassador's remarks as a reflection of an approach that wants to subject regional countries to Western policies.

Criticizing the acceptance of Washington and London's demands, he stated that surrendering to external pressure means defeat and humiliation, and regional countries must defend their independence and sovereignty. On the other hand, Azhar Muhammad al-Tamimi, an Iraqi media activist and blogger, said that the UK Ambassador's recent remarks have a precedent, and he has also commented on Hashd al-Shaabi and resistance groups on other occasions. He emphasized that a negative reaction and protest against such remarks should be Baghdad's minimum response; because silence or a disproportionate reaction could encourage the other side to repeat and escalate such positions. The controversy highlights deep divisions over the role of armed groups in Iraq's political landscape and the extent of foreign influence in the country.