Two of Iraq’s most powerful Iran-backed militias said on Tuesday they will begin surrendering their weapons to the authorities.

Axar.az informs that this marks a significant step in the new government’s efforts to bring armed groups under tighter state control after years of largely independent operations, despite being formally under government command.

One of the groups, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, said it has established a committee to manage the process, take stock of its fighters, weapons, and equipment, and coordinate with Iraq’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The group described the move as a response to appeals from Iraq’s top Shiite religious authority as well as the Iran-aligned Coordination Framework, the dominant parliamentary bloc in Iraqi politics.