Iraqi government sources told MBN on Monday that the United States had informed the Iraqi government that U.S. forces would directly target armed groups in Iraq if they join a renewed war with Iran, and that Washington would not commit to coordinating those strikes with Baghdad in advance.
The sources, who are familiar with communications between Baghdad and Washington, said the American message included a clear warning to Iraqi officials about the consequences of allowing the militias to enter a potential conflict.
The warning raises the stakes for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who has pledged to disarm the Iran-aligned factions under pressure from Washington, and signals that U.S. forces could again strike inside Iraq if those groups resume attacks on American interests, in a conflict that could spread through an Iran-aligned network stretching from Lebanon to Yemen.
MBN contacted al-Zaidi’s office for comment on the sources’ statements but had received no response by the time this report was published.
The White House and the U.S. State Department also did not respond to questions MBN sent by email on the same subject.
The American warning comes amid media reports that hostilities between the United States and Israel, on one side, and Iran, on the other, could resume, with potentially significant repercussions for Iraq.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated in recent days. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States could launch another military operation against Iran, while Iranian leaders warned that any new American military campaign would be met with a stronger response than before.
Numerous armed factions operate in Iraq, many of them maintaining close ties to Tehran. These groups form a key component of the regional alliance known as the “Axis of Resistance,” which is aligned with Iran and stretches from Gaza and Lebanon to Yemen and Iraq.
Groups operating under the banner of the so-called “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” have claimed responsibility for dozens of drone and missile attacks targeting American interests in Iraq and the wider region since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb.28. The United States, meanwhile, has carried out airstrikes against Iran-aligned armed groups and their positions inside Iraq.
Since taking office as prime minister last May, al-Zaidi has pledged to disarm these factions and ensure that weapons remain exclusively under state control, responding to demands from the Trump administration.
Several Shiite factions aligned with Tehran have announced in recent months that they are prepared to give up their weapons and focus on domestic politics. They include Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali, both designated as terrorist organizations by the United States.
Al-Zaidi’s government had initially given the factions until Sept. 30 to hand over their weapons, coinciding with the end of the international coalition’s mission to combat the Islamic State group. The factions had cited the coalition’s presence as a justification for retaining their arms. The deadline, however, was postponed.
According to Iraqi sources, the government reached a two-phase agreement with Iran-aligned armed factions to regulate their weapons. The first phase began Oct. 1 and runs through Jan. 1, 2027. During this phase, the factions are to stop issuing statements and refrain from using Iraqi territory for any activities.
The second phase is scheduled to run through June 2027. During this period, the sources said, the factions are to gradually surrender their strategic weapons, including ballistic missiles, projectiles and drones. The phase also calls for the integration into the Popular Mobilization Forces of faction brigades that have not yet been incorporated into the force, most of which are listed by the United States as terrorist organizations.
Adapted and translated from the original Arabic.
