Iraq's Ministry of Interior says nearly six million weapons have been registered nationwide, while 350,000 citizens have completed the registration process as part of the government's ongoing effort to regulate firearms and strengthen state control over weapons.

Expanding the Weapon Registration System

The Ministry of Interior plans to expand its weapon registration campaign this year as part of its strategy to regulate firearms held by civilians. Registration forms will be distributed across cities, towns, and other locations to increase the number of registered weapons.

Major General Mansour Ali, Director General of Weapon Control and Regulation, told the official newspaper al-Sabah that the relevant authorities are implementing a comprehensive strategy to collect, register, and regulate weapons.

First Phase Focused on a National Weapons Database

According to Major General Mansour, the first phase of the program involved establishing a national weapons database containing complete records of government-owned firearms across ministries and state institutions.

The database includes weapons belonging to the Ministries of Interior and Defense, the National Security and Intelligence Service, the Popular Mobilization Forces, the Counter-Terrorism Service, as well as licensed security companies and other entities.

Second Phase Covers Civilian Weapons

Major General Mansour said the second phase focuses on registering civilian-owned weapons, a measure that also helps authorities trace stolen firearms.

According to the Ministry of Interior, 854 weapon registration offices have been established across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region. Registered firearm owners receive licenses valid for five years.

The ministry added that the free electronic registration process will remain available until December 31, 2026, after which applicants will be required to pay a registration fee.

350,000 Citizens Have Registered Their Weapons

Major General Mansour said between 4,000 and 5,000 citizens submit weapon registration applications each week. To date, about 350,000 heads of households have registered their firearms.

He added that the next phase of the campaign will focus on locating and confiscating unregistered weapons.

The Ministry of Interior said its database currently contains records for nearly six million licensed weapons registered across Iraq.