Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says his government has no intention of entering into a military confrontation with armed factions, adding that constructive talks are under way over bringing weapons under state control, Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue Conference, al-Zaidi said: “We are facing difficult days that no previous government has faced.”

He said some factions had already handed over their weapons, severed previous affiliations and joined the Popular Mobilisation Forces, while discussions were continuing with others.

“There is no intention of a military confrontation with the armed factions, and there is constructive dialogue with them on restricting weapons to the state,” he said.

Al-Zaidi said that “all political forces agree on moving forward with restricting weapons to the state”, adding that work is under way on mechanisms for their handover.

The prime minister also described the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a “major challenge”, saying Iraqi oil exports were currently at about 10 per cent of normal levels and that alternative export routes were “makeshift and limited”.