US Steps Up Pressure On Iraq To Act Against Iran-Backed Militias, Halts Security Funding

Last Updated:April 22, 2026, 08:22 IST

The United States has suspended security cooperation with Iraq while pressing Baghdad to curb Iran-backed militias responsible for attacks on American interests.

The United States has intensified pressure on Iraq to distance itself from Iran and take action against Tehran-backed militias accused of targeting American interests, The New York Times reported, citing officials familiar with the development.

The report said Washington has suspended cooperation and funding for Iraq’s security services as part of efforts to push Baghdad to rein in armed factions aligned with Iran.

LIVE Updates On The US-Iran War

According to the report, Iraq has long maintained relations with both Washington and Tehran, often balancing competing geopolitical interests.

However, with the US and Israel engaged in conflict with Iran, the Iraqi government is facing mounting pressure to choose a clearer position.

“The United States will not tolerate attacks on US interests and expects the Iraqi government to immediately take all measures to dismantle the Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq," State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement, as quoted by the report.

It mentioned that Washington is demanding that Iraq act against militia groups with links to Iran, some of which are connected to political figures in Baghdad.

SECURITY COOPERATION HALTED AMID RISING ATTACKS

Two Iraqi officials were quoted as saying that the United States has suspended cooperation with Iraqi security forces, including counterterrorism coordination, training programmes and financial support.

The move comes after a series of attacks targeting US interests in Iraq during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran that began in late February.

According to the report, the US Embassy in Baghdad, an American base and an airport hosting US air defence systems were targeted in incidents claimed by Iran-backed militias.

An airstrike on a militia headquarters reportedly killed three people, prompting the militia group to blame both the United States and Israel, the report said.

On April 9, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nazar Al Khirullah to condemn recent attacks, including a drone strike near US diplomats in Baghdad, according to the State Department statement cited by the report.

Hussein Allawi, a security adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, told the publication that cooperation had been suspended until a new Iraqi government is formed.

He added that the suspension could be temporary.

An Iraqi Defence Ministry official also told the newspaper that the halt in support could impact logistical assistance for Iraq’s air force as well as military training efforts.

US INTEREST IN IRAQ GOVERNMENT FORMATION

The formation of a new government in Iraq has drawn attention from both the United States and Iran, according to the report.

It mentioned that US President Donald Trump had previously warned that Washington could withdraw support if Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, considered close to Tehran, returned as Prime Minister.

In response, al-Maliki said Iraqis “categorically reject this blatant American interference," the report noted.

Analysts cited by the report warned that efforts to dismantle Iran-linked militias could destabilise Iraq’s already fragile political system.

“The issue isn’t simply a lack of willpower or capacity, it’s that the boundaries of the Iraqi state itself are blurred," Ramzy Mardini, founder of Geopol Labs, told the publication.

“What exactly constitutes ‘the state’ in Iraq when independent armed actors are embedded within it? It’s a reality that the Trump administration has repeatedly failed to grasp," Mardini added.

IRAN GRANTS GREATER AUTONOMY TO MILITIAS

Meanwhile, a separate report by the Associated Press claimed that Iran has granted greater operational autonomy to commanders overseeing militia groups in Iraq, enabling certain factions to act without direct approval from Tehran.

According to the report, militia officials and regional authorities said decentralised command structures have allowed Iran-backed groups to carry out attacks based on field assessments amid the ongoing conflict.

“The various forces have been granted the authority to operate according to their own field assessments without referring back to a central command," a militia official told AP on condition of anonymity.

The report mentioned that many Iran-backed militias are embedded within Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, a powerful network integrated into the country’s security structure and funded through the state budget.

Experts cited by AP said Washington is expected to continue both political and military pressure on these groups.

COMPLEX BALANCE BETWEEN US AND IRAN

According to The New York Times, Iraq remains one of the few Arab countries with a Shiite Muslim majority, and political parties aligned with Iran have gained significant influence in government institutions.

Many of the militias operating today were initially formed following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq and later became part of the coalition that fought the Islamic State group, the report said.

While several factions were incorporated into Iraq’s national security framework, some hard-line groups retained close ties with Iran.

The developments highlight the structural challenges facing Baghdad, as armed groups remain intertwined with political and military institutions.

AP reported that the evolving regional conflict has exposed the fragility of Iraq’s state institutions and their limited capacity to restrain militia factions, even as pressure from Washington continues to mount.

The situation underscores the ongoing geopolitical contest for influence in Iraq, with the country navigating competing pressures from both the United States and Iran while seeking to maintain stability.

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