ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A prominent Iraqi Shiite faction on Wednesday said that they refuse to hand over their arms, a day after an advisor to the prime minister claimed there was international pressure on Baghdad to dissolve the armed groups.

During an interview with a local television channel on Tuesday, Ibrahim al-Sumaidaei, an advisor to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, said that the Iraqi government has received an international request asking for the disarmament and dissolution of armed factions not operating under the umbrella of Iraqi security forces.

Speaking to The New Region, Kadhim al-Fartousi, spokesperson for Iraq’s Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, denied the existence of such a request, stressing that even if there is one, it is “completely rejected” and the factions will not respond to it.

Fartousi stressed that “the US does not have the right to ask Iraq such a request, especially since these factions were formed to resist the US as it occupies Iraq.”

“The Iraqi factions will not surrender their weapons. These weapons are important in resisting the occupation, and these weapons have resolved many issues in confronting terrorism, as well as regional issues in supporting Gaza and Lebanon, and for this reason there will be no surrender of weapons at all,” he added.

In the interview, Sumaidaei said the factions need to consider taking the initiative by dissolving the groups on their own and merging into the political situation following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon. He warned that foreign powers might resort to force if Baghdad fails to comply.

“This time, if we do not respond automatically and voluntarily, it might be imposed upon us from the outside… definitely through the use of force,” he added.

A day after Sumaidaei’s comments, Sudani warned all his advisors against expressing personal opinions that do not align with the government agenda or engage with the media without prior approval, giving them the option to resign from their positions otherwise.