Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Nouri al-Maliki, Secretary-General of the Islamic Dawa Party and head of the State of Law Coalition, called on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, for a comprehensive national conference to establish a consensual roadmap for restricting weapons exclusively to state hands through structured dialogue.

In an official statement released by the Islamic Dawa Party and reported across national media, the party reaffirmed its backing for Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi, underscoring that the premier holds the unified support of national forces within the State Administration Coalition (SAC) and the Coordination Framework during a critical economic, security, and regional juncture.

Key Policy Pillars & Political Declarations

Dialogue-Based Arms Monopoly: Al-Maliki stated that establishing state control over weapons must occur via dialogue, mutual understanding, and national consensus—not through political or media portrayals of internal confrontation.

National Conference Initiative: Leveraging cross-factional relationships, al-Maliki proposed convening a broad national conference to build a secure, stable transition framework for integrating and regulating armed factions.

Support for PM Al-Zaidi: The Islamic Dawa Party stressed that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi remains dedicated to political stability and constitutional governance, urging all coalition partners to actively back the cabinet through current domestic and regional challenges.

Preserving Democratic Institutions: The statement emphasized that the post-2003 constitutional system, democratic pluralism, and peaceful transitions of power remain the only viable alternatives to authoritarianism, fragmentation, and civil strife.

Integration of Resistance Fighters: Called for honoring the historical sacrifices of anti-terror and resistance fighters by utilizing their capabilities within official state defense and security institutions.

The party’s statement follows a high-level diplomatic meeting on Tuesday, August 18, between al-Maliki and Joshua Harris, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Their discussions reviewed the implementation of the U.S.–Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement and ongoing federal initiatives to consolidate state security authority, with Harris commending al-Maliki’s role in promoting political stabilization and dialogue across Iraqi political blocs.