Ali Zuweid's Political Programme · Bill · Security, Defence and Sovereignty
State Monopoly on Weapons and Regulation of Arms and Ammunition Bill
A federal framework unifying arms regulation in Iraq: the State monopolizes organized armed force and military weapons, while civilian weapons are subject to restricted licensing, a national register, tracing and secure storage, with a voluntary surrender period for unlawful weapons and clear judicial and human rights safeguards.
Executive Summary
This proposal proceeds from a clear constitutional principle: the armed forces and security services are subject to civilian leadership; military militias outside the armed forces are prohibited; and national security policy and the establishment and management of the armed forces fall within federal jurisdiction. The proposal translates this principle into a single legal system that goes beyond penalties, connecting licensing, registration, tracing, storage, voluntary surrender, management of State stockpiles and judicial and parliamentary oversight.
The current Law No. (51) of 2017 regulates possession, carrying, sale and repair and provides penalties for smuggling, manufacture and trade. However, it is no longer sufficient on its own to address the goal of a “State monopoly on weapons” as a broader national policy. An official study by the Supreme Judicial Council identified a problem in the penal treatment of possession of military, medium and heavy weapons. Meanwhile, throughout 2025 and 2026 the Ministry of Interior continued registering citizens' weapons and building a tracing database, alongside a government programme to purchase medium weapons. [3][5][8][9]
On 11 August 2026, the parliamentary Security and Defence Committee announced its discussion of a bill on the State monopoly on weapons, confirming that the issue had entered the legislative process. POL-24 is therefore drafted as a comprehensive law repealing and replacing Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017, not a parallel law: it permits limited civilian possession of individual light weapons under strict conditions, distinguishes home possession from public carrying, prohibits non-State possession of military, medium and heavy weapons, and bans armed wings and unofficial foreign armament and funding. [7]
The proposal takes account of Iraq's obligations under the United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, to which Iraq acceded on 23 May 2013 and which entered into force for Iraq on 22 June 2013, through marking, record-keeping, cooperation, tracing and measures against illicit trafficking. [10]
I — Constitutional and Legal Context
1. Constitutional Basis
Article (9/First/A) of the Constitution places the armed forces and security services under civilian authority, while paragraph (B) prohibits military militias outside the armed forces. Article (110/Second) makes national security policy and the establishment and management of the armed forces an exclusive federal power, and Article (109) requires federal authorities to preserve Iraq's unity, integrity, independence and sovereignty. At the same time, provisions on rights, freedoms and judicial safeguards protect the inviolability of homes, access to justice, fair trial, freedom of expression and assembly. Disarmament, search and seizure measures must therefore be prescribed by law and subject to judicial oversight. [1]
2. The Law in Force and Its Shortcomings
Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 was enacted and published in the Iraqi Official Gazette, issue (4439), replacing an older arms regulation framework. It prohibits possession and circulation of military weapons by entities other than security and military services, regulates licences for possession, carrying, sale and repair, and prescribes penalties for smuggling, manufacture and trade. [2][3]
However, in an official study in 2023, the Supreme Judicial Council observed that the penal provision did not expressly and proportionately address possession of military, medium and heavy weapons, resulting in application of a less severe general provision in cases of mere possession. This gap matters because a State monopoly on weapons loses its substance if possession of a cannon or medium machine gun attracts a penalty disproportionate to the level of danger. [5]
3. Current Government Policy
Government measures show that Iraq has moved from separate paper-based licensing towards a broader registration and control policy. The Ministry of Interior operates a weapons licensing portal and extended registration of citizens' weapons until 31 December 2026 to complete the tracing database. The Ur portal also provides an official service for purchasing medium weapons from citizens. This existing infrastructure should be converted from a temporary campaign into a permanent legal system rather than creating a new parallel institution. [4][8][9]
4. The Current Legislative Proposal
On 11 August 2026, the Council of Representatives' Security and Defence Committee announced that it had discussed the State Monopoly on Weapons Bill with the Prime Minister and emphasized completing security and military legislative frameworks. POL-24 therefore addresses no merely theoretical gap; it offers comprehensive drafting suitable as a basis for discussion and comparison with the government bill when its full text is published. [7]
5. International Obligations
Iraq has been a party to the Firearms Protocol supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime since 2013. Marking, record-keeping, criminalization of illicit manufacturing and trafficking, and cooperation in tracing therefore have a treaty basis and are not merely technical choices. The drafting also draws on the International Tracing Instrument in designing long-term records and tracing mechanisms. Iraq is not a party to the Arms Trade Treaty as of this document's date; diversion prevention principles and end-user certificates are therefore used as regulatory best practice without attributing obligations to Iraq that are not in force for it. [10][12][13]
II — Proposed Legislative Policy
The proposal rests on seven interrelated legislative choices:
- Not equating a “State monopoly on weapons” with a “complete ban on civilian weapons”: The State monopolizes organized armed force and military weapons, while limited individual civilian weapons are permitted subject to licensing, registration and secure storage.
- Separating possession from carrying: Possession of a weapon at home confers no right to carry it in public; a carry licence is a separate exception based on demonstrated necessity.
- Closing the gap concerning medium and heavy weapons: Unofficial possession of prohibited weapons is a separate offence attracting a proportionate penalty, with a voluntary surrender period before strict enforcement.
- Preventing parallel armed force, not targeting social identity: The law targets no particular party, tribe or component of society. It prohibits any unofficial entity from possessing an armed wing, weapons store, camp or armed chain of command.
- Use existing institutions: The Ministry of Interior, national register and permanent national committee form the core of implementation, avoiding the unnecessary creation of a new bureaucratic authority.
- Tracing from source to destruction: Marking, inventory, transfer records, seizure and destruction form part of the law, covering the State's own weapons as well as the civilian market.
- Rights-respecting enforcement: Homes may not be searched without judicial grounds or a situation permitted by law; licensing must not discriminate politically; peaceful gatherings are not prohibited. The prohibition concerns bringing weapons into a gathering regardless of its purpose or message.
III — Text of the Bill
In the name of the people
Pursuant to the Constitution, and for the purpose of regulating arms and ammunition and vesting organized armed force exclusively in the State, the following Law has been enacted:
Chapter One — General Provisions
Article (1) — Definitions
For the purposes of this Law, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned to them: State: federal authorities and institutions, and security and military services, forces and formations established by law and subject to an official chain of command. Issuing Authority: the Minister of Interior or a person lawfully authorized by the Minister, within the limits of that delegation. National Committee: the Permanent National Committee for Arms Regulation and the State Monopoly on Weapons. National Register: the central digital system for registering arms, ammunition, licences and related lawful movements.
Firearm: any device that discharges a projectile through combustion of a propellant, including its essential parts without which it cannot function. Permitted Civilian Weapon: an individual firearm whose possession or carrying is permitted by this Law following licensing. Prohibited Weapon: a military, medium, heavy or fully automatic weapon, or any system, part or accessory inherently intended for military use whose civilian circulation is not permitted by this Law. Ammunition: rounds, cartridges and their components intended for use in firearms; military materiel includes ammunition, grenades, projectiles and materials intended for prohibited weapons.
Illicit Trafficking: import, export, transport, delivery, receipt, sale, brokering, manufacture, modification, storage or transfer contrary to this Law. Tracing: identifying the history of a weapon or ammunition and its transfer path from manufacture or import to the last lawful possessor, seizure or destruction. Unofficial Armed Formation: any organized group possessing or managing weapons or armed force outside the forces, services and formations established by law and operating outside the official chain of command.
Article (2) — Objectives of the Law
This Law aims to consolidate the State's monopoly on organized armed force, prevent any armed force parallel to its institutions, regulate limited civilian possession of weapons in a manner balancing public security and constitutional rights, prevent smuggling, diversion and illicit trafficking, and establish a unified national system for licensing, registration, marking, tracing and accountability.
It also aims to implement Iraq's international obligations to prevent illicit trafficking in firearms, their parts, components and ammunition; strengthen State institutions' capacity to trace lost and stolen weapons and weapons used in offences; and manage State stockpiles in a manner preventing loss and illicit diversion.
Article (3) — Principles of Application
In applying this Law, all authorities shall observe legality, proportionality, equality and non-discrimination; protect the rights to life, security, privacy and a fair trial; and refrain from using arms regulation as a pretext to restrict freedom of expression, peaceful assembly or lawful political activity.
The prohibition on carrying weapons at gatherings, events and places specified in this Law shall apply regardless of participants' political position or identity. Restrictions on rights shall be limited to what is necessary to achieve a legitimate security purpose and shall be imposed by law.
Article (4) — Scope
This Law shall apply to natural and legal persons; arms, ammunition and their essential parts within the Republic of Iraq; and import, export, transit, transport, manufacture, repair, sale, possession, carrying, storage, surrender and destruction.
Weapons of the armed forces, security services and official formations shall be subject to this Law's provisions on inventory, coding, tracing, diversion prevention and stockpile management, with due regard to their special laws and operational confidentiality requirements.
Article (5) — Federal Jurisdiction
Regulation of arms and ammunition and the State monopoly on organized armed force are matters of federal national security. Federal, regional and governorate authorities shall coordinate, exchange data and implement this Law within their constitutional powers.
No local authority may establish a weapons licensing system that conflicts with this Law or permits possession or carrying of a category prohibited under it.
Article (6) — Rules of Prohibition and Permission
Possessing, keeping, carrying, transporting, delivering, receiving, selling, purchasing, manufacturing, repairing, importing, exporting or brokering prohibited weapons and military materiel shall, as a general rule, be impermissible except for competent State institutions within the law and official duties.
Civilian weapons shall, as a general rule, not be possessed, carried or disposed of without a valid licence and a correct entry in the National Register. Registration alone shall not confer a right to carry a weapon outside the licensed place.
Chapter Two — State Monopoly on Armed Force and Prohibited Weapons
Article (7) — State Monopoly on Organized Armed Force
The State, through forces, services and formations established by law, shall have the exclusive right to possess and manage organized armed force, military, medium, heavy and fully automatic weapons and their associated military ammunition.
No party, movement, organization, tribe, company, religious, social or trade union institution, or other unofficial entity may establish an armed force, armed wing, camp, ammunition store, armed checkpoint or parallel military chain of command.
Article (8) — Unofficial Armed Formations
Establishing, organizing, financing, arming, training or managing an unofficial armed formation shall be prohibited, as shall providing it with premises, storage, transport, communications or funding with the intention of enabling armed activity outside the State framework.
Dissolving a formation or changing its name or legal cover shall not prevent application of this Article if its armed leadership, weapons, funding or operational structure remains outside State institutions.
Article (9) — Prohibition of Armed Wings of Political Entities
Political parties, political entities, candidates and their supporters shall be prohibited from possessing, managing or financing an armed wing, weapons stores or armed personnel outside official protection prescribed by law.
The law enforcement authority shall refer evidence of such violations to the judicial bodies and the authority responsible for applying political party and election laws for legal action, without prejudice to criminal penalties.
Article (10) — Official Exceptions
A service, force or formation established by law and subject to an official chain of command, State budget and oversight shall not constitute an unofficial armed formation, provided that all its weapons, stores and assets are registered in official systems and subject to lawful orders.
No official formation may retain weapons, sites or forces outside its approved establishment and chain of command or use them for the benefit of a political, social or private entity.
Article (11) — Private Security Companies
Private security companies shall operate under the legislation governing them. They may possess or operate weapons only in the quantities and categories specified by the relevant laws and instructions, under institutional and individual licences linked to the assignment.
Company weapons shall be kept in licensed stores, and their issue and return shall be recorded electronically for each duty. They may not be transferred to an employee outside duty hours or used to protect partisan activity or an unofficial formation.
Article (12) — Prohibition of Unofficial Armed Displays
Armed displays, patrols, processions, checkpoints and collective carrying of weapons intended to demonstrate force outside State authority shall be prohibited, even where the weapons are individually licensed.
Exceptions shall apply to licensed official ceremonies conducted by State institutions and sporting or heritage events using implements incapable of firing or deactivated weapons under rules issued by the Issuing Authority.
Article (13) — Prohibition of Weapons in Tribal and Community Disputes
Tribal, social or customary affiliation shall confer no special right to acquire, store or use prohibited weapons. This Law shall apply equally to all persons without exception.
Carrying, displaying or discharging weapons to coerce, threaten or impose a settlement in a tribal or social dispute shall constitute an aggravating circumstance under this Law's penal provisions.
Article (14) — Unofficial Foreign Armament and Funding
No person or entity lacking legal authorization may receive weapons, ammunition, funding earmarked for purchasing weapons, or armed training from a foreign State, entity or person outside official State channels.
Military and security assistance and equipment intended for State institutions shall be subject to official procedures, oversight and registration. They may not be retransferred to anyone other than the beneficiary government body except in accordance with the law and any applicable donor conditions.
Chapter Three — Civilian Possession and Licensing
Article (15) — Categories of Permitted Civilian Weapons
Following licensing, possession of pistols, hunting guns and individual rifles incapable of continuous automatic fire may be permitted within the technical specifications, calibres and capacities prescribed by a regulation issued under this Law.
The regulation shall not include any category of prohibited weapons or weapons readily convertible to continuous automatic fire. Specifications shall be reviewed periodically to keep pace with technological developments and prevent circumvention.
Article (16) — Weapons Prohibited for Civilian Use
Entities other than competent State institutions shall be prohibited from possessing, keeping, carrying or circulating machine guns, fully automatic weapons, cannons, heavy and medium machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars, anti-armour and anti-aircraft weapons, missiles, grenades, military explosive devices, their essential accessories and associated ammunition.
Military suppressors, conversion devices enabling civilian weapons to fire continuously and automatically, and weapons concealing their nature specifically to evade inspection shall also be prohibited, unless held by an official body for lawful purposes.
Article (17) — Number of Weapons Permitted in the Home
As a general rule, a household may register one civilian weapon for possession within the home in the name of one person meeting the licensing conditions. A regulation shall specify justified exceptions for hunting, sport, occupation or multiple residences, without undermining the objective of reducing the proliferation of weapons.
A licence shall not be granted merely because a person owns a home. Multiple licences within one household shall not be permitted for the purpose of circumventing the prescribed limit.
Article (18) — Eligibility for a Possession Licence
An applicant for a possession licence must be Iraqi, have attained twenty-five years of age, possess full legal capacity, have a verified identity and residence, and have no conviction for an intentional felony, serious violent misdemeanour, offence involving dishonour, or drug or arms trafficking offence, unless legally rehabilitated.
The applicant must pass a legal, medical and technical eligibility assessment and must not be subject to an effective judicial order prohibiting weapons possession because of a specific risk to themselves or others. Disability alone shall not justify refusal if an individual medical assessment establishes that it does not prevent safe use.
Article (19) — Training and Examination
No possession or carry licence shall be granted or renewed before completion of an accredited course on safety, storage, legal responsibility and safe weapons handling, and successful completion of theoretical and practical examinations.
The Ministry of Interior shall accredit and supervise training centres. Previous military or police training may be recognized where its adequacy and currency are established under the rules.
Article (20) — Medical Examination and Fitness
Physical and psychological capacity for safe use shall be verified through a report from an accredited healthcare body using objective criteria focused on actual functional risk. Categorical diagnostic lists leading to unjustified discrimination shall not be established.
Health data shall be confidential. Licensing officers may access them only to the extent necessary for the decision. Applicants may challenge the findings before a second medical committee and then appeal the administrative decision in accordance with the law.
Article (21) — Duration and Renewal of a Possession Licence
A possession licence shall be valid for five years unless suspended or revoked by law or judicial decision. Renewal applications shall be submitted during the ninety days preceding expiry.
Possession may continue for no more than thirty days after expiry where a renewal application was submitted on time and remains undecided through no fault of the holder. Carrying and disposal shall be prohibited during that period.
Article (22) — Contents of the Licence
The licence shall specify the holder's identity, its type and validity period, the weapon's number and specifications, the place of possession and any special restriction prescribed by law. It shall be linked to the National Register through a secure verification code.
A licence may not be used for another weapon or by another person. Possession of a forged or altered paper or electronic copy shall not constitute evidence of a right to possession.
Article (23) — Refusal of a Licence
Refusal or non-renewal of a licence shall be made by a written, reasoned decision setting out the factual and legal grounds and avenues of grievance and appeal. Refusal on political, sectarian, ethnic or tribal grounds, or merely for exercising a lawful constitutional right, shall be prohibited.
Details whose disclosure would reveal a confidential source or an ongoing investigation may be withheld, provided sufficient grounds are presented to the competent court to review the decision's legality.
Article (24) — Suspension and Revocation of a Licence
The Issuing Authority may, by reasoned decision, temporarily suspend a licence where a serious and specific risk emerges or an eligibility condition ceases to be met. Urgent cases involving removal of a weapon from a home shall be presented to a competent judge within no more than forty-eight hours.
A licence shall be permanently revoked by judicial judgment or by a final, appealable administrative decision if an essential condition ceases to be met, the weapon is used in a serious violation or materially false information is submitted.
Article (25) — Temporary Licences for Foreign Nationals
A non-Iraqi may be granted a temporary, time-limited permit for hunting, sporting competition or a lawful official or research assignment, provided the weapon is brought in and taken out through designated ports of entry, registered and not disposed of within Iraq.
A regulation shall specify guarantee procedures, verification of the country of origin and final destination, and safety requirements.
Article (26) — Antique and Commemorative Weapons
Antique, commemorative or symbolic weapons incapable of firing may be acquired following registration where they could be mistaken for serviceable weapons. Instructions shall specify technical deactivation standards that cannot be reversed without substantial industrial intervention.
An antique weapon capable of firing shall be subject to the appropriate licensing provisions unless deposited with a museum or licensed body.
Article (27) — Sport Shooting and Hunting
Shooting clubs, training facilities and hunting shall be regulated through institutional and individual licences. Sporting weapons shall be stored in licensed facilities unless a regulation permits otherwise under stringent security measures.
Club membership shall not authorize carrying weapons in public places or retaining a prohibited weapon outside the designated facility.
Chapter Four — Carrying, Storage, Transport and Disposal
Article (28) — Weapon Carry Licence
A licence to carry a weapon outside the home is an exception separate from a possession licence. It shall be granted only for a legitimate occupational necessity or a specific, demonstrated personal risk that less restrictive measures cannot adequately address, following an individual security assessment.
A carry licence shall be valid for one year, renewable, and may be restricted by location, time and nature of assignment. It shall not be granted automatically on the basis of office or social, partisan or tribal status.
Article (29) — Official Weapons Issued for Protection
Weapons issued for official protective details and protection services shall be regulated by the relevant service rules. They shall remain State property, registered in the name of the government body, and shall not become the property of an official or employee.
Weapons and ammunition shall be recovered immediately when the grounds for protection or service end. Issue and return shall be documented in an auditable electronic register.
Article (30) — Places Where Carrying Is Prohibited
Carrying weapons, even under licence, shall be prohibited in schools, universities, courts, correctional institutions, polling stations, airports, ports of entry, hospitals, places of worship and stadiums; at public meetings, demonstrations, processions and electoral gatherings; and in any place temporarily declared a weapons-free zone in accordance with the law.
Exceptions shall apply to members of official forces and services assigned to protection or law enforcement while on duty, and to licensed guards within the scope of their assignment.
Article (31) — Carrying Weapons under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs
Carrying or using a weapon shall be prohibited for anyone under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or psychotropic substances to a degree impairing safe use. The licence and weapon shall be temporarily seized under lawful procedures.
This shall not prejudice more severe penalties prescribed for driving offences, drug offences or any other offence.
Article (32) — Safe Storage
A possessor shall keep an unused weapon in a cabinet or locking arrangement preventing access by children or unauthorized persons. Ammunition shall be stored separately wherever possible without compromising the requirements of immediate defence within the home under the applicable rules.
The Ministry of Interior shall establish graduated technical standards for domestic, commercial and institutional storage proportionate to the number and danger of the weapons.
Article (33) — Transport
Civilian weapons shall be transported between permitted places unloaded and secured in a suitable container. Compliant transport shall not constitute public carrying where confined to the licensed route and purpose.
Transport of commercial or institutional quantities shall be subject to a route and protection plan, electronic notification and reconciliation at departure and arrival in accordance with instructions.
Article (34) — Loss or Theft of a Weapon
A possessor or entity shall notify the nearest police authority and the National Register within twenty-four hours of discovering loss or theft, stating the circumstances and last known location.
The weapon's details shall immediately be entered in available national and international search lists. Its licence shall be suspended until recovery or lawful closure of the incident.
Article (35) — Inheritance, Death and Change of Possession
Within ninety days of a death, heirs shall surrender the weapon to a competent body for temporary safekeeping, transfer it to an eligible heir, sell it through a licensed entity or surrender it to the State.
A licence shall not pass by inheritance. During regularization, the weapon may be used only by a licensed person within the prescribed limits.
Chapter Five — Trade, Repair, Manufacture and International Transfers
Article (36) — Sale and Transfer
A firearm or an essential part thereof may not be sold, gifted, exchanged, lent or transferred in ownership except through a licensed entity or official channel that records the transaction in the National Register and verifies both parties' eligibility.
The transaction shall have no legal effect before the register is updated and the new licence delivered. The previous owner shall remain responsible for safeguarding the weapon until documented handover is completed.
Article (37) — Arms Dealers' Premises
Arms and ammunition shops may open only under an annual licence for specified premises after satisfying requirements concerning security, storage, surveillance, inventory, insurance and a responsible technical officer.
A shop shall be prohibited from making anonymous cash sales or delivering weapons before electronic licence verification. It shall periodically reconcile physical stock with the register.
Article (38) — Repair and Maintenance
Weapons may be repaired or modified only by a licensed technician or workshop. Every weapon entering a workshop shall be recorded, together with the reason for and date of the work and the identities of the persons delivering and receiving it.
Any modification that erases a marking or number, increases a weapon's capability to a prohibited category or changes its characteristics contrary to its licence shall be prohibited.
Article (39) — Manufacture
Manufacture of weapons, their essential parts or ammunition shall be prohibited except in a legally licensed facility subject to oversight, inventory, coding and industrial safety and security requirements.
Prohibited unlicensed manufacture includes the use of printing, digital manufacturing or assembly from major parts with the intention of producing a weapon capable of firing or circumventing marking and registration requirements.
Article (40) — Brokering
Commercial brokering of arms or ammunition, or arranging transactions or shipments through Iraq or through Iraqi persons, shall not be permitted without a licence and a record identifying the parties, final recipient and funding source.
Brokering records shall be retained for the period prescribed by this Law and made available to the competent oversight and judicial bodies.
Article (41) — Import, Export and Transit
Import, export and transit of arms, ammunition and their essential parts shall require prior authorization from the competent federal bodies and reconciliation by ports of entry, customs and the National Register. No shipment shall be released before documents and markings are verified.
The licence shall identify the country of origin or destination, sender, consignee, quantity, description, number or number range, final recipient and any transit country, with due regard to Iraq's applicable international obligations.
Article (42) — End-User Certificates and Diversion Prevention
Government and commercial transactions designated by regulation shall require a reliable end-user certificate. Subsequent verification that the weapons arrived and were not diverted to an unauthorized recipient may be requested.
Any transaction presenting serious indications of smuggling, illicit diversion, falsification of the end user or violation of an international embargo binding on Iraq shall be refused or suspended.
Article (43) — Advertising and Distance Sales
Advertising, offering or brokering the sale of an unregistered or prohibited weapon shall be prohibited. Ownership transfers may not be completed entirely through electronic platforms without reliable in-person or digital verification and the prescribed official procedure.
Upon receipt of a judicial order or a lawful request from a competent authority, domestic platforms shall remove illicit trafficking offers and preserve data necessary for investigation, subject to privacy safeguards.
Article (44) — Limits on Ammunition Sales
Civilian ammunition may be sold only to the holder of a valid licence, in a calibre matching the weapon registered in that person's name and in quantities proportionate to the lawful purpose. The transaction shall be entered in the register.
A regulation shall specify periodic limits and exceptions for sport, hunting and training. Splitting purchases or using intermediaries to evade limits shall be prohibited.
Chapter Six — Marking, Registration and Tracing
Article (45) — Mandatory Marking
Every lawfully manufactured or imported weapon shall bear a permanent, unique marking identifying at least the manufacturer's name or code, country of manufacture, serial number, and calibre or other specification necessary for identification. A national import marking shall be added where required.
Marking shall conform to international standards enabling identification and tracing. Markings shall not be so superficial that they can easily be erased without a trace.
Article (46) — Coding of State Weapons
Weapons of State institutions, including older serviceable weapons, shall be subject to unified coding and inventory identifying the owning body, unit, store, condition of the weapon and responsible custodian. Additional confidential coding may be used for operational requirements.
Confiscated weapons reallocated to an official institution shall not be exempt from reinspection, coding and entry in the custody register.
Article (47) — National Weapons Register
The Ministry of Interior shall establish and administer a unified digital national register covering civilian weapons, licences, trade, repair, import, export, seizure and destruction. It shall connect to ports of entry, customs, police, judicial and forensic medicine systems within their legal powers.
State weapons registers shall connect to the National Register through secure institutional interfaces enabling tracing without disclosing sensitive operational details to unauthorized persons.
Article (48) — Record Retention Period
Identification, manufacture, import, export, ownership, transfer, seizure and destruction records shall be retained for at least thirty years after the last transaction. Basic identification data may be retained permanently for tracing purposes.
A national data protection policy shall specify access levels, encryption, access logs, auditing and secure destruction of unnecessary data.
Article (49) — Ballistics Database
A central database shall be established for ballistic signatures associated with seized weapons and weapons entering lawful circulation, for categories specified by instructions and according to technical capacity. It shall be administered in coordination between the Ministry of Interior and the competent justice bodies.
An automated match alone shall not constitute conclusive evidence of an offence. It is a technical tool subject to verification, forensic expertise and evidentiary rules.
Article (50) — Tracing Requests and International Cooperation
A national point of contact shall be designated to receive and send illicit weapons tracing requests and cooperate with competent States and organizations, consistently with treaties in force and Iraqi law.
Requests shall be handled promptly and documented, with the chain of custody and sensitive information preserved. Personal data shall not be provided to a foreign body without a legal basis and appropriate safeguards.
Chapter Seven — State Weapons and Stockpiles
Article (51) — Inventory of State Weapons
Every ministry, service and official formation shall conduct a comprehensive physical inventory of its weapons and ammunition at least annually, undertake unannounced risk-based checks, and reconcile the results with central records.
Unexplained discrepancies shall immediately be reported to the competent inspector or oversight body and the institution's senior commander. Suspected theft, diversion or gross negligence shall be referred for investigation.
Article (52) — Stockpile Management
State stores shall apply standards for physical security, access control, segregation of duties, dual inventory checks, movement records, appropriate environmental monitoring for ammunition, emergency plans and prevention of fires and explosions.
Stores shall be classified by risk and quantity and subject to periodic oversight by the competent bodies, without compromising defence and security secrets.
Article (53) — Individual Issue and Return
An official weapon shall be issued to a member of personnel only under a custody assignment linked to the person's identity, unit and specified duty. Issue, return and ammunition expended and remaining shall be recorded electronically wherever the system is available.
Keeping an official weapon in a home or private vehicle beyond what service orders and the institution's laws permit shall be prohibited.
Article (54) — Loss and Theft from State Stores
Loss of weapons or ammunition from State custody shall constitute a security incident requiring immediate reporting, tracing and administrative and criminal investigation as appropriate. A shortage shall not be resolved by an accounting adjustment before responsibility is determined.
The Government shall publish annual non-sensitive aggregate data on weapons lost, recovered and destroyed, promoting accountability without harming national security.
Article (55) — Disposal and Destruction
Surplus, dangerous or confiscated arms and ammunition for which there is no lawful need for reuse shall be destroyed in a manner preventing their return to circulation, with records prepared by multi-member committees, oversight and documentation of number, weight, method and date.
Samples may be retained for museums, training or criminal evidence by reasoned decision and shall remain subject to inventory and security measures.
Chapter Eight — Voluntary Surrender and Disarmament
Article (56) — Voluntary Regularization Period
A period of one hundred and eighty days from this Law's entry into force shall be granted to anyone possessing an unregistered civilian weapon to declare it and seek regularization or surrender it to the State. During this period, mere prior possession shall not be punishable where the weapon is not connected to another offence.
Regularization shall not exempt a person from liability for an offence committed with the weapon or prevent forensic examination and comparison with evidence before licensing or destruction.
Article (57) — Surrender of Prohibited Weapons
Any unauthorized person possessing a prohibited weapon or military materiel shall surrender it, within ninety days of this Law's entry into force, to an official centre designated by the National Committee. A person who voluntarily does so before seizure shall benefit from exemption for the offence of mere possession.
The exemption shall not cover smuggling, trafficking, illicit manufacture, use of the weapon in a felony, financing an armed formation or theft of State property.
Article (58) — Purchase or Compensation Programme
On the National Committee's proposal and subject to a budget appropriation, the Council of Ministers may adopt a time-limited programme to purchase categories of medium or prohibited weapons from their possessors for withdrawal and destruction or official management.
The programme shall establish uniform technical valuation schedules, a financial ceiling and conditions preventing rewards for smuggling or trafficking. No compensation shall be paid for a stolen or State-owned weapon or one brought into Iraq unlawfully after a date specified by the decision.
Article (59) — Surrender Centres
Temporary or permanent official surrender points shall be established at police commands or sites designated by the Ministry of Interior. Safety, inspection, registration and chain-of-custody procedures shall apply. No private entity or intermediary may collect weapons on behalf of the State without express legal authorization.
A person surrendering a weapon shall receive a receipt recording its type, number, condition and the legal pathway chosen. The person's name shall not be disclosed except in accordance with the law.
Article (60) — Collective and Tribal Weapons
The law shall recognize no collective ownership of weapons in the name of a tribe, tribal guesthouse, group or party. The persons actually possessing or controlling them shall surrender prohibited weapons and regularize civilian weapons under this Law.
Executive bodies shall conduct awareness and surrender programmes in cooperation with tribal sheikhs, community leaders and civil society to facilitate compliance. Such cooperation shall create no immunity or exemption from the law.
Article (61) — Integration of Individuals, Not Formations
Qualified individuals from unofficial armed formations may apply individually for service in official forces or services under their laws, needs and admission requirements. Their ranks, chain of command, organizational loyalties, assigned property and weapons shall not transfer automatically with them.
Weapons, premises and stores shall be surrendered to the State independently of any personnel employment pathway. Every applicant shall undergo security, professional and legal screening.
Chapter Nine — Seizure and Procedural Safeguards
Article (62) — Seizure Powers
Law enforcement agencies may seize weapons or ammunition when a violation is detected in flagrante delicto, pursuant to a judicial order, or in urgent situations permitted by law to protect life and prevent imminent danger. A record shall state the grounds for seizure and describe and number the items seized.
Seized items shall be deposited in a secured official store and the chain of custody documented. Their use or disposal before a final judicial decision shall be prohibited except for lawful technical examination.
Article (63) — Inviolability of Homes
A home may not be entered or searched for weapons except under a reasoned judicial warrant or in a situation of flagrante delicto or imminent danger, in accordance with the Constitution and the law. Non-registration alone shall not suffice to override constitutional safeguards.
A search warrant shall be reasonably specific as to place and purpose. Seized items and search procedures shall be subject to judicial oversight.
Article (64) — Administrative Inspection of Licensed Establishments
The competent body may inspect licensed sales, repair and manufacturing premises and commercial stores during working hours, or in cases of danger, under a reasonable oversight programme to verify inventory, storage and records.
Administrative inspection shall not authorize entry into private homes not used for the activity or seizure of evidence of offences outside the licensing scope without following the required judicial procedures.
Article (65) — Grievances and Appeals
Anyone whose application is refused, whose licence is suspended or revoked, or who is subjected to an administrative measure under this Law may lodge a grievance with a higher administrative body within thirty days of notification. The decision shall be appealable before the competent court.
No administrative decision issued under this Law may be shielded from judicial appeal.
Article (66) — Return of Seized Weapons
A weapon shall be returned to its owner when the grounds for seizure have ended, lawful possession has been established and it is not subject to confiscation, with the register updated before handover.
If the owner no longer meets the conditions, a period shall be granted to transfer ownership lawfully or surrender the weapon to the State, unless the court orders confiscation.
Chapter Ten — Offences and Penalties
Article (67) — Possession of a Civilian Weapon without a Licence after Expiry of the Grace Period
Anyone possessing a civilian weapon capable of firing without a licence after expiry of the regularization period shall be punishable by detention for not less than six months and not more than two years, and a fine of not less than two million dinars and not more than ten million dinars, or either penalty.
The court may treat late voluntary surrender, personal circumstances and the absence of criminal use as mitigating grounds within statutory limits.
Article (68) — Carrying a Weapon without a Licence
Anyone carrying a firearm in a public place without a valid carry licence shall be punishable by detention for not less than one year and not more than three years and a fine of not less than five million dinars and not more than fifteen million dinars.
The penalty shall be aggravated where the weapon is carried in a prohibited place or for the purpose of threatening or influencing a judicial, electoral or administrative process.
Article (69) — Possession of Prohibited Weapons
Anyone possessing, keeping, transporting or concealing a prohibited weapon or military materiel without legal authorization shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years and not more than ten years. A more severe penalty shall apply under the laws in force where the act is connected with a terrorist offence, killing or armed rebellion.
The minimum penalty prescribed in this Article shall not apply to a person benefiting from the voluntary surrender period under Article (57).
Article (70) — Smuggling, Manufacture and Illicit Trafficking
Anyone unlawfully smuggling, manufacturing, assembling, selling, purchasing, brokering or financing weapons, essential parts or ammunition for the purpose of trafficking shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than seven years and not more than fifteen years.
The penalty shall be aggravated where the weapons are prohibited, the offence is organized or transnational, it is committed by an employee abusing official office, or it results in arming an unofficial formation.
Article (71) — Establishing or Financing an Unofficial Armed Formation
Anyone intentionally establishing, leading, financing, arming or training an unofficial armed formation with the aim of enabling it to exercise armed force outside State authority shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than ten years and not more than twenty years.
Application of this Article shall not preclude application of the Counter-Terrorism Law or Penal Code where the conduct constitutes a more serious offence. No individual shall be punished merely for political or social membership unless armed conduct or criminal participation is established.
Article (72) — Use of Weapons for Threats or Coercion
Anyone brandishing or using a weapon to compel a person or group to pay money, relinquish a right, accept a settlement, leave a place or execute an unlawful order shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than three years and not more than seven years, unless the act constitutes a more serious offence.
Commission of the act in a tribal, partisan, electoral or property dispute shall constitute an aggravating circumstance.
Article (73) — Discharging Firearms at Events
Anyone discharging firearms at an event, gathering or populated area without lawful necessity shall be punishable by detention for not less than one year and not more than three years and a fine of not less than five million dinars and not more than fifteen million dinars, together with confiscation of the weapon and revocation of the licence.
Where the act causes injury, death or serious harm, the more severe penalty prescribed by the laws in force shall apply according to the outcome and intent.
Article (74) — Erasure of Markings and Manipulation of the Register
Anyone intentionally erasing, altering or concealing a serial number or identification marking, or entering, deleting or modifying data in the National Register to conceal a weapon's source, owner or route, shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than three years and not more than seven years.
A public employee abusing official powers to engage in intentional manipulation shall receive the same penalty, together with dismissal from office.
Article (75) — Violations by Dealers and Licensees
Any licensed dealer, technician, carrier or manufacturer violating inventory, storage, verification or record-keeping duties, or delivering a weapon to an ineligible person, shall be punishable by detention, a fine and revocation of the licence according to the gravity of the act.
Where the act is intentional and aimed at diversion to the illicit market, the trafficking penalty in Article (70) shall apply.
Article (76) — Liability for Gross Negligence
Anyone whose gross negligence in storage, guarding or inventory enables an unauthorized person to obtain a weapon shall be punishable by a fine and revocation of the permit or licence. The penalty shall be detention where the risk was clearly foreseeable and resulted in use of the weapon in a felony.
Assessment of liability shall take account of the ages of persons present, the type and number of weapons and the technical standards imposed on the possessor.
Article (77) — Confiscation
The court shall order confiscation of the weapon, ammunition and parts involved in the offence. Tools or vehicles owned by the offender may be confiscated where their intentional dedication to illicit trafficking is established, with protection for the rights of good-faith third parties.
The court shall determine whether seized items are to be destroyed, retained as evidence or transferred to the State if serviceable and lawfully needed. Destruction shall be the default for prohibited weapons that are not needed.
Article (78) — Liability of Legal Persons
Where an offence is committed in the name or interest of a private legal person with the knowledge or consent of its representative, the court may impose an appropriate fine, revoke its licence and order temporary or permanent closure according to the gravity of the act, without prejudice to the liability of natural persons.
This Article shall not apply to public bodies. Their employees' liability shall be subject to the criminal, disciplinary and financial provisions in force.
Chapter Eleven — Governance and Oversight
Article (79) — Permanent National Committee
The Permanent National Committee for Arms Regulation and the State Monopoly on Weapons shall continue as the supreme coordination mechanism for implementing national policy in this field, reporting to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The Ministry of Interior shall provide its executive secretariat unless the Council of Ministers adopts more detailed arrangements under this Law.
The Committee shall comprise authorized representatives of the relevant security, military, justice, customs and oversight bodies. A regulation shall specify its composition, detailed powers and decision-making procedures.
Article (80) — Powers of the National Committee
The Committee shall formulate national policy on the State monopoly on weapons; monitor registration, surrender, purchase and destruction; coordinate databases and institutional inventories; identify geographical and sectoral risks; and propose the necessary regulations, instructions and budget.
It shall submit quarterly reports to the Council of Ministers and Commander-in-Chief covering compliance levels, withdrawn stockpiles, weapons lost and recovered, and indicators of smuggling and diversion, with implementable recommendations.
Article (81) — Parliamentary Oversight and Transparency
The Government shall submit an annual public report to the Council of Representatives containing aggregate data on licences; weapons registered, surrendered, destroyed, lost and recovered; trafficking offences; and application-processing rates, with a confidential annex for sensitive security information where necessary.
The public report shall contain no personal data, details of State stores or operational plans.
Article (82) — Financial Oversight and Integrity
Weapons purchase, compensation, storage, destruction and technical equipment programmes shall be subject to financial oversight, public procurement and integrity rules, and conflict-of-interest prevention. Criteria and aggregate prices shall be published without disclosing information harmful to security.
Members of valuation or purchase committees shall be prohibited from buying weapons for themselves or associated entities or profiting from price differences.
Article (83) — Awareness and Community Engagement
The Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with local bodies, civil society, tribes and religious and media institutions, shall conduct awareness campaigns on registration, storage, voluntary surrender and the dangers of gunfire and illicit trafficking.
Public messaging shall be neutral and non-stigmatizing, emphasizing the rule of law, protection of life and equal application.
Chapter Twelve — Transitional and Final Provisions
Article (84) — Continuation of Existing Licences
Weapons licences valid when this Law takes effect shall remain valid until expiry, for no more than twelve months from its entry into force. Holders shall update their registration in the new National Register during that period.
Where a weapon becomes prohibited under this Law, the previous licence shall have no effect beyond the surrender period prescribed in Article (57).
Article (85) — Transfer of Existing Data and Files
The Ministry of Interior shall integrate databases, forms and licences registered under previous government programmes into the National Register, removing duplicates and verifying numbers, identity and the chain of ownership.
Citizens shall not be required to resubmit information already established in State records unless verification or completion of a material omission is necessary.
Article (86) — Regulations and Instructions
The Council of Ministers shall issue the regulations necessary to implement this Law within one hundred and eighty days of publication. The Ministry of Interior shall issue the necessary instructions and technical forms within one hundred and twenty days, each within its competence.
Existing instructions and notices relating to Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 shall remain in force insofar as they do not conflict with this Law, pending replacement.
Article (87) — Repeal of the Previous Law
Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 shall be repealed from this Law's entry into force. Repeal shall not affect final judicial judgments or valid legal rights that do not conflict with this Law's mandatory provisions.
Other provisions shall be amended or repealed insofar as they expressly conflict with this Law, through the prescribed legislative procedures.
Article (88) — Entry into Force
This Law shall enter into force ninety days after publication in the Official Gazette. The regularization and voluntary surrender periods shall begin on its entry into force.
During the period before entry into force, the competent bodies shall prepare the register, surrender centres and forms, and train personnel to prevent a regulatory vacuum.
IV — Statement of Reasons
For the purpose of unifying the legal framework governing arms and ammunition; consolidating the principle of the monopoly of the State and its constitutional institutions over organized armed force and military weapons; addressing shortcomings revealed in applying Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017, particularly concerning medium and heavy weapons, tracing and stockpile management; regulating limited civilian possession, carrying, trade, repair, manufacture, import and export on modern foundations; establishing a unified national register; ensuring marking and tracing and preventing diversion and smuggling; opening a lawful pathway for voluntary surrender and purchase of prohibited weapons where appropriations are available; protecting constitutional rights and ensuring judicial and parliamentary oversight; and implementing the Republic of Iraq's international obligations in force concerning illicit firearms trafficking, this Law has been enacted.
V — Explanatory Memorandum
1. Why Replacement Rather than Partial Amendment?
The 2017 law performs a traditional licensing function and contains important provisions worth retaining, but it does not build a complete system for control of weapons across the State and society. Scattered amendments to definitions, penalties, the register, stockpiles, voluntary surrender, marking, tracing and cross-border trade would make it a composite, complex text. The proposal therefore opts for repeal and replacement while keeping licences and instructions in effect for a transitional period.
2. What a “State Monopoly on Weapons” Means in the Proposal
It means the State's monopoly on organized armed force and military weapons, and the prevention of parallel armed wings, formations and stores, rather than criminalizing every civilian weapon regardless of type or purpose. The proposal permits limited civilian weapons for home possession under registration and licensing, and makes public carrying an exception based on necessity rather than a social privilege.
3. Tribal Weapons and Community Disputes
The proposal addresses the substance of the problem without turning the law into rhetoric against tribes: no collective ownership of weapons in a tribe's name, no exemption for medium and heavy weapons, and no lawful use of weapons in tribal settlements, armed intimidation or coercive settlement. At the same time, it permits the involvement of tribal sheikhs and community leaders in surrender and awareness campaigns as community partners, not licensing authorities.
4. Light Weapons and the Right to Security
A complete ban on civilian weapons in an environment containing large quantities of arms could drive possession into the black market and weaken compliance. The proposal therefore adopts a gradual approach: registration of limited light weapons for households, training, examination and safe storage, and a strict distinction between possession and carrying. Personal weapons thereby change from unidentified assets into regulated property that can be traced and held accountable.
5. Why Are There No Broad Exceptions for Officials?
Weapons associated with official protection must remain State property under State custody, not personal property attached to an office. Officials in their civilian capacity are subject to the general rules unless they have official protection or a demonstrated individual need. This rule prevents public employment from becoming a permanent route to armed privilege.
6. Protecting Demonstrations and Peaceful Assembly
The proposal avoids older wording linking punishment to gatherings “against the Government”. The new prohibition is neutral: no weapons at any demonstration, public gathering or vote, regardless of political direction. The law thus protects gatherings from weapons and protects the constitutional right to protest from stigmatization in criminal legislation.
7. Tracing and Data Protection
The database is more than a list of names. It records a weapon's life cycle: manufacture or import, marking, ownership and transfer, loss and theft, seizure, examination, then destruction or reallocation. In return, the law restricts access to personal data, records access logs and prevents disclosure of security or personal details in public reports.
VI — Alignment with Existing Legislation
| Legislation / Field | Relationship | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 | Repeal and replacement | Preserves the substance of lawful licensing and rebuilds the system around weapons control, tracing, voluntary surrender and management of State stockpiles. |
| Penal Code No. (111) of 1969, as amended | Complementarity | Its general provisions and more serious offences, such as killing, threats and explosives offences, apply where their elements are met. |
| Counter-Terrorism Law in force | Complementarity without expansion | Where weapons are connected with terrorist intent, the more severe provisions apply; unlicensed possession alone does not automatically become a terrorism charge. |
| Laws governing the armed forces, internal security forces, Popular Mobilization Authority and security services | Institutional complementarity | Special service and command laws apply, while this Law governs inventory, coding, diversion prevention and tracing. |
| Political Parties Law | Complementarity | The political consequences of armed wings and unofficial funding and armament are addressed under the legal framework for parties, with criminal liability preserved. |
| Private security company laws | Complementarity | Institutional weapons remain subject to licensing, inventory and duty-linked issue procedures. |
| Customs, ports of entry and organized crime laws | Complementarity | Import, export, transit and illicit diversion are also subject to the relevant penalties and procedures. |
When this text is referred into the official legislative process, a final article-by-article comparison must be made with the State Monopoly on Weapons Bill discussed by the Security and Defence Committee in August 2026, and with any amendment entering into force after this document's date, to prevent duplication or conflict.
VII — Transitional Provisions and Implementation Requirements
Phase One — Before Entry into Force (90 days): Prepare databases, surrender points, training, licence forms and arrangements linking ministries and ports of entry.
Phase Two — Civilian Regularization (180 days from entry into force): Register or surrender unregistered civilian weapons, with exemption for the offence of mere prior possession.
Phase Three — Prohibited Weapons (90 days from entry into force): Surrender medium, heavy and automatic weapons and military materiel, with the possibility of a limited purchase programme if funds are appropriated.
Phase Four — Full Enforcement: Once the grace periods expire, penalties apply in full and earlier registration campaigns become the permanent National Register.
The effectiveness of permanent criminal prohibitions should not depend on the compensation programme's success. Compensation is a tool to accelerate compliance, not a condition for the State's monopoly on prohibited weapons. Any purchase programme should also be subject to financial limits and technical standards so that no market emerges for importing weapons in order to sell them to the State.
VIII — Financial and Implementation Impact
The proposal creates a real financial impact, but published data alone do not permit a reliable aggregate estimate. The main cost components are:
| Item | Cost nature | Legislative Response |
|---|---|---|
| National Register and institutional connectivity | Establishment and development, followed by operation and maintenance | Reuse existing Ministry of Interior and Ur portal systems instead of building a separate system. |
| Marking, examination and ballistic tracing | Equipment, laboratories and training | Phased implementation based on risk and the highest-priority categories. |
| Surrender, storage and destruction centres | Transitional and operational | Use existing police commands and stores while improving security and inventory standards. |
| Medium weapons purchase programme | Optional and temporary | Implemented only with a budget appropriation, valuation schedules and a published financial ceiling. |
| Oversight and auditing | Limited operating costs | Relies on existing bodies and the National Committee without creating a new independent authority. |
Before launching a broad purchase programme, the National Committee shall submit a financial estimate to the Council of Ministers and Council of Representatives covering the target number of weapons, price range, storage and destruction costs and risks of circumvention. The law includes no aggregate figure unsupported by an up-to-date national inventory.
IX — Relevant International Comparison
The proposal follows an established international approach in three areas: marking weapons with numbers and identifiers that allow tracing, retaining records for long periods, and regulating import, export, transit and cooperation on tracing requests. These elements are linked to the Firearms Protocol and the International Tracing Instrument. [10][12]
In managing the transition from widespread arms proliferation, the proposal combines registration, voluntary surrender, limited purchasing and subsequent enforcement. This model reduces the need for broad mass-confiscation campaigns that may conflict with safeguards for homes, property and due process. It makes voluntary compliance a transitional window rather than a permanent exemption.
The Arms Trade Treaty is used here solely as a source of best practices in diversion prevention and end-user verification. Iraq is not a party as of 5 October 2026, so the document attributes no treaty obligations arising from it to Iraq. [13]
X — Sources and References
- Iraqi Constitution — Iraqi Council of Representatives — Articles (9), (19), (38), (78), (100), (109), (110) and other provisions concerning sovereignty, civilian leadership, rights and federal jurisdiction. Source.
- Ministry of Justice — Publication of Iraqi Official Gazette Issue 4439 — Contains Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 and its general reasons for enactment. Source.
- Ministry of Justice — Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 — Ministry of Justice page for the law in force. Source.
- Ministry of Interior — Directorate of Identity Cards and Weapons Licences — Licensing conditions and procedures applied under the current Weapons Law. Source.
- Supreme Judicial Council — Proposed Guidance on Weapons Law No. (51) of 2017 in Force — An official study explaining the law's provisions and highlighting a penal gap concerning possession of military, medium and heavy weapons. Source.
- Council of Representatives — The Concept of a State Monopoly on Weapons: A Reading of the Government's and Religious Authority's Views — A parliamentary study of the constitutional, legal and political framework for a State monopoly on weapons. Source.
- Council of Representatives — Security and Defence Committee Discusses the State Monopoly on Weapons Bill — Official announcement on 11 August 2026 of discussion of the State Monopoly on Weapons Bill within the security legislative agenda. Source.
- Iraqi News Agency — Registration of Citizens' Weapons Extended until the End of 2026 — Describes continuation of the second registration phase and development of a weapons tracing database. Source.
- Ur Portal — Purchase of Medium Weapons from Citizens — The government service for documenting and purchasing medium weapons from citizens under the weapons control programme. Source.
- United Nations — Iraq's Accession to the Firearms Protocol — Iraq deposited its instrument of accession on 23 May 2013; the Protocol entered into force for Iraq on 22 June 2013. Source.
- United Nations — Status of the Firearms Protocol — Official status of parties and the Protocol's general obligations. Source.
- United Nations — International Tracing Instrument — The international framework for marking, record-keeping and cooperation in tracing illicit small arms and light weapons. Source.
- Arms Trade Treaty — Participation Status — Shows that Iraq is not a State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty as of the document's preparation date. Diversion prevention standards are therefore used as a best-practice reference, not as treaty obligations arising from it. Source.
POL-24 · Ali Zuweid's Political Programme · 5 October 2026