AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Nouri al-Maliki, the head of the State of Law Coalition and former Prime Minister of Iraq, criticizing the threats of imposing sanctions or harsh measures if the processes for organizing the arms of Iraqi groups are not carried out, emphasized, "Our goal is to agree on a specific framework for managing the crisis, not to surrender under the pressure of threats."
Regarding the issue of arms organization, he added, "All political forces and the religious authority emphasize the organization of arms, but this organization must be carried out through the Popular Mobilization Forces law and by integrating groups within the legal framework."
Al-Maliki stated, "The Popular Mobilization Forces are a state military institution formed by a cabinet decree; its arms are the state's arms, and its command is under the state's authority."
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