US warns Iraq: PMF Law threatens security ties

Shafaq News

4 hours ago

Shafaq News – Washington
On Tuesday, the US State Department opposed Iraq's proposed legislation on the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), cautioning the bill could reshape the nature of the bilateral security relationship with Baghdad.
During a press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce characterized the draft—formally known, the PMF Authority Law —as strengthening Iran-linked factions and US- designated ''terrorist groups.''
Similar concerns feature in a recent report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, which warned the legislation could undermine Iraq's security sector reform efforts and offer legal protection to armed groups operating outside state authority.
The think tank also encouraged the Trump administration to respond through a combination of pressure tools, including sanctions targeting PMF leaders, partial suspension of security cooperation with Baghdad, and conditioning military aid on Iraq's adherence to a state monopoly on arms and demonstrable reform progress.
Earlier, a political source familiar with the matter informed Shafaq News the bill, initially expected to be brought to a vote during the current parliamentary session, is now likely to face delays. Disagreements continue among key political forces—particularly within the Shiite bloc—over the PMF's structure and long-term role.
Moreover, Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani confirmed that US officials have been applying diplomatic efforts to prevent the legislation from advancing in its current form.
The proposed law comes nearly nine years after the Iraqi parliament passed initial legislation recognizing the PMF in November 2016. That earlier move, adopted in response to the ISIS's capture of Mosul and other areas, lacked organizational detail and has since prompted calls for revisions to clearly define the PMF's place within Iraq's security framework.