Iraq
One of the groups fighting within the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitaries, marching with rocket-propelled grande (RPG) launchers in a military parade in the city of Najaf in central Iraq. AFP file photo
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump's newly-appointed special envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, said in a strongly-worded statement on Thursday that "there is no place" for armed groups operating outside the control of the Iraqi government.
"The United States Government has made it clear that there is no place for armed groups operating outside the authority of the state," Savaya said in a statement as he embarks on his mission as special envoy to Iraq. "Iraq’s stability and prosperity depend on having unified security forces under the command of a single government and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, united under one flag that represents all Iraqis. Without this unity, Iraq’s sovereignty and progress will remain at risk."
The interests of "the Iraqi people and of the wider region depend on a fully sovereign Iraq, free from malign external interference, including from Iran and its proxies, and committed to serving its citizens and living in peace with its neighbors,” he added.
Savaya, a Chaldean entrepreneur of Iraqi descent, said "Iraq has begun to reemerge as a sovereign state, working to reduce external influences, bring all weapons under the control of the legitimate government, and open its markets to international companies to help rebuild and develop the country’s fragile infrastructure.”
"However, the work is not yet complete, and Iraq still requires continued support to remain on this path," he said. "It is my mission, on behalf of President Trump, to engage with Iraq and support its continued pursuit of stability, sovereignty, and prosperity."
Iran is believed to have many proxy groups in Iraq that it has used to target US interests in the region. Washington has taken several measures to try and reduce Tehran’s influence over Baghdad, including the termination of a waiver that allowed Iraq to buy Iranian electricity for years, despite sanctions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, earlier this month, spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in a phone call of the “urgency” in disarming Iran-backed armed groups.
“The Secretary highlighted the urgency in disarming Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten the lives and businesses of Americans and Iraqis, and pilfer Iraqi resources for Iran,” said a readout from the State Department after their conversation.
Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are officially part of the country’s armed forces, but some groups within the PMF continue to operate outside of Baghdad’s control and maintain close ties to Iran.
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