The Iraqi government is taking steps to integrate armed groups, including factions affiliated with the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), into its security forces. This move comes amid growing concern about Iran's waning influence in the region and the possibility of Iraq becoming the next target of instability.
With Iran ian influence waning in the Middle East, the Iraq i government is looking to integrate armed groups , including factions within the Iran -backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), into its security apparatus. Iraq i Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein recently stated that armed groups operating outside state control are unacceptable. He expressed hope that discussions would convince these groups to lay down their arms and join the Iraq i armed forces under government authority.
This move comes amidst concerns over the power vacuum left by the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the weakening of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising fears that Iraq could be the next to fall. Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, believes the collapse of the Assad regime served as a catalyst for the Iraqi government's actions against Iranian militias. Schanzer told Fox News Digital that Iraqis are apprehensive about becoming the next domino to fall and are wary of Iran's toxic influence within their state. While Foreign Minister Hussein maintains that Iraq is not the next nation to succumb, the IRI, a grouping of armed Islamic resistance factions aligned with the Iran-backed 'Axis of Resistance,' poses a significant challenge. This group was responsible for the attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan in January 2024 and has been engaged in armed operations against Israel and U.S. coalition forces since October 7. Iraq also houses the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), formed in 2014 after Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's call to arms against ISIS. Tehran provided the PMF with IRGC advisers, weapons, and military support during the fight against ISIS. The PMF is formally recognized as part of the Iraqi state security forces and reports directly to the Prime Minister. Dr. Inna Rudolf, Senior Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London, highlights the challenge of managing these resistance factions, many of which have registered brigades within the PMF umbrella. Rudolf believes the key question for decision-makers is how to neutralize these elements and prevent the PMF and the Iraqi state from being drawn into an unwanted geopolitical escalation. She points out that while Iranian proxies have been weakened since October 7, pressure has intensified due to reports suggesting Israel might retaliate against Iranian groups within Iraq. Analysts view Iraq's attempt to control armed factions as a sign of Iran's diminishing regional influence. Caroline Rose, senior analyst and head of the Power Vacuums Program at the New Lines Institute, suggests that the ongoing security sector reform regarding the PMF reflects Iran's weakened role in the country. This presents an opportunity for more moderate forces and the U.S. to capitalize on the situation and build momentum. With elections scheduled for this fall, Prime Minister Sudani is attempting to negotiate a bilateral security cooperation agreement with the U.S., including the status of U.S. troops in Iraq. Currently, around 2,500 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq as part of the Operation Inherent Resolve effort against ISIS. Observers agree that Iraq's ability to control rogue groups conducting armed operations against the Prime Minister will be crucial for sustaining security cooperation with the United States, especially under a President Donald Trump administration.
IRAQ IRAN MILITARY ARMED GROUPS ISLAMIC RESISTANCE POPULAR MOBILIZATION FORCES US FOREIGN POLICY REGIONAL SECURITY
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