US presses Iraq for action against Iran-backed militias amid rising attacks

Washington: The United States has pressed Iraq’s leadership to take “concrete actions” against Iran-backed militias, with a senior State Department official warning that Washington wants “action, not words” amid growing concern over attacks on American facilities in the region.

“I think that the Iraqi leaders, including the Prime Minister-designate, understand what the United States is looking for. We’re looking for action, not words,” the senior State Department official said.

The remarks come as Washington intensifies pressure on Baghdad to curb the influence of armed militias that the US considers terrorist organisations and which American officials say have become deeply embedded within Iraq’s state institutions.

“There is a very blurry line right now between the Iraqi state and these militias,” the official said.

“And it would start with expelling terrorist militias from any state institution, cutting off their support from the Iraqi budget, denying salary payments to these militia fighters. Those are the type of concrete actions that would give us confidence and say that there’s a new mindset.”

The comments reflected continuing US frustration over the role of militia groups operating inside Iraq, particularly after months of regional instability linked to wider tensions in the Middle East.

The senior official accused parts of the Iraqi establishment of shielding the militias politically and financially.

“Certain elements of the Iraqi state have continued to provide political, financial and operational cover for these very terrorist militias,” the official said.

“I’m not underestimating the severity of the challenge or what it would take to disentangle these relationships. It could start with a clear and unambiguous statement of policy that the terrorist militias are not part of the Iraqi state.”

The official also underscored the scale of the security threat faced by US personnel during the recent regional conflict.

“We experienced more than 600 attacks against US facilities in Iraq during the regional conflict,” the official said.

The comments signalled that the issue remains a central concern in US-Iraq relations as Washington evaluates Baghdad’s willingness and capacity to rein in armed factions aligned with Iran.

IANS