ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iran-backed Iraqi militia designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States on Wednesday said the designation was “expected” but will have no impact on their operations.
The US State Department on Wednesday designated Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kataib al-Imam Ali as FTOs, saying the decision came as part of President Donald Trump’s order to impose “maximum pressure” on Iran.
Kadhim al-Fartusi, spokesperson for the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, part of the government-linked but Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), told Rudaw that the decision “was expected” but will have no effect.
“We have no activities outside of Iraq for this decision to have any impact on us,” he said.
Fartusi further called on Iraq’s foreign ministry to respond, calling Washington’s decision an interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.
“We expect Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to react to this matter,” he stressed.
The designations came three weeks after the Iraqi government - with intense pressure from Washington - revoked a controversial bill to restructure the PMF. Although the PMF is part of Iraq’s security apparatus, many of its factions still operate independently, with impunity, and reportedly maintain strong ties to Iran.
Iran is believed to have many proxy groups in Iraq, which it has used in the past to target US interests in the region. Washington has taken several measures to ensure that Baghdad is free of Tehran’s influence, including the termination of a waiver which had allowed Iraq to buy Iranian electricity for years.
Hastyar Qadir contributed to this report.
The US State Department on Wednesday designated Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kataib al-Imam Ali as FTOs, saying the decision came as part of President Donald Trump’s order to impose “maximum pressure” on Iran.
Kadhim al-Fartusi, spokesperson for the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, part of the government-linked but Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), told Rudaw that the decision “was expected” but will have no effect.
“We have no activities outside of Iraq for this decision to have any impact on us,” he said.
Fartusi further called on Iraq’s foreign ministry to respond, calling Washington’s decision an interference in Iraq’s internal affairs.
“We expect Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to react to this matter,” he stressed.
The designations came three weeks after the Iraqi government - with intense pressure from Washington - revoked a controversial bill to restructure the PMF. Although the PMF is part of Iraq’s security apparatus, many of its factions still operate independently, with impunity, and reportedly maintain strong ties to Iran.
Iran is believed to have many proxy groups in Iraq, which it has used in the past to target US interests in the region. Washington has taken several measures to ensure that Baghdad is free of Tehran’s influence, including the termination of a waiver which had allowed Iraq to buy Iranian electricity for years.
Hastyar Qadir contributed to this report.
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