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Regional countries will shape their own future, and the United States will have no place in the region, stated Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Rezaei made these remarks in Tehran during discussions with Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council. Iran desires a strong and independent Iraq and seeks a resolution for the status of Iranian opposition groups operating along the two nations' border, an apparent reference to Iranian Kurdish parties in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

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Regional countries will shape their own future and that the United States would have no place in the region.

Rezaei's comments followed a visit to Baghdad by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf. During Ghalibaf's visit, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Aboudi affirmed the government's commitment to bringing all weapons under state control, a plan facing growing pressure. Al-Aboudi stated that the constitution prohibits armed groups from threatening other countries' security and reaffirmed Baghdad's security agreement with Tehran. The context of the visit suggested that armed factions were a primary focus, even if not always formally on the agenda.

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Iran wanted a strong and independent Iraq and called for a resolution to the status of Iranian opposition groups based along the two countries’ border.

Iraqi reports indicated that Ghalibaf conveyed Tehran's stance on government measures targeting these factions as Baghdad's deadline approached. Meanwhile, leaders of the Coordination Framework met in Baghdad with Mohsen Qomi, a representative of Iran's supreme leader, to discuss the arrests of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) members. Local media reported objections to the arrest methods, suggesting formal judicial summons instead of military force. The PMF later described the arrests as a "misunderstanding" that had been resolved, with the individuals handed over to PMF security services for judicial proceedings.

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the constitution did not allow armed groups to threaten the security of other countries and reaffirmed Baghdad’s commitment to its security agreement with Tehran.

These developments occur as Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's government endeavors to enforce a state monopoly on weapons, potentially leading to confrontations with armed factions that hold significant political and security influence. This weapons issue presents a critical test for al-Zaidi, who also faces U.S. pressure to dismantle groups operating outside state control. In Tehran, Rezaei and Zidan also focused on security and judicial ties, with Zidan expressing Iraq's appreciation for Iran's support and emphasizing the need for regional cooperation and border security.

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what it called a “misunderstanding” over the arrests of several members had been resolved.