Washington, D.C. – The United States has officially designated four Iran-backed militias in Iraq as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), escalating pressure on Tehran and its regional proxy network. The move underscores Washington’s ongoing campaign to curb Iran’s influence across the Middle East.
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What Happened
On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department announced that Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali have been added to the FTO list.
All four militias had already been designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2023.
“These Iran-backed militia groups have attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and targeted U.S. and coalition forces, often using proxy groups to conceal their involvement,” Senator Marco Rubio stated.
Who Are the Groups?
The militias are considered key factions of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella network of Iran-backed groups that gained prominence after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The IRI has claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, including the January 2024 drone strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members.
Expert Analysis
According to Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) Iran program, the decision builds on policies first initiated during the Trump administration.
“The Trump administration broke a taboo by proving it could name, shame, and punish Iran-backed militias in Iraq without sparking civil war,” Taleblu told Fox News Digital. “Now in a second term, the administration is extending that approach, continuing its designation campaign against Iran’s influence and terror agents in Iraq.”
Iran’s Influence in Iraq
The groups operate within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a coalition of mostly Shia militias originally formed to combat ISIS but later heavily influenced by Tehran.
“Iran depends on these militias, which essentially form a state within a state in Iraq,” Taleblu explained. “By combining Treasury sanctions with FTO designations, the U.S. is applying the same pressure strategy previously used against the **Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).”
Conclusion
The U.S. designation of these four Iran-backed militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations represents a significant escalation in efforts to weaken Tehran’s proxy network in Iraq. With these groups deeply embedded in the PMF and tied to multiple attacks on U.S. forces, the move signals Washington’s intent to confront Iran’s influence more aggressively in the region.