By Anas al-Bar | 2025-09-26

The United States last week designated four Iran-backed militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), in what officials describe as a direct challenge to Tehran’s proxy network in Iraq.

For years, these groups -- Harakat Al Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid Al Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah Al Awfiya, and Kata’ib Al Imam Ali -- have operated outside state control, undermining Baghdad’s sovereignty and fueling instability across the Middle East.

"As the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, Iran continues to provide support that enables these militias to plan, facilitate, or directly carry out attacks across Iraq," the US Department of State said in a statement on September 17.

Despite repeated calls to disarm, the militias have refused to integrate into Iraq’s legitimate security institutions.

Instead, they maintain independent chains of command, divert funds, and influence both politics and security.

By operating outside formal state structures, these groups erode Baghdad’s monopoly on the use of force -- a fundamental pillar of sovereignty.

Why they were designated

Washington’s decision to add the four militias to its FTO list reflects mounting concern over Iranian regime's destabilizing influence.

The designations aim to disrupt the groups’ financing, weaken their international networks, and expose their ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The militias’ refusal to disarm, repeated attacks on state institutions, Iraqi and US forces, and strong ties to Tehran’s proxy network made this move unavoidable.

By criminalizing support and cutting off funding pipelines, the US hopes to curb their ability to operate freely.

The designations also bolster Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani’s efforts to reassert state control.

Al Sudani has consistently stressed that only the Iraqi government should hold weapons, a position supported by many Iraqis weary of militia dominance.

"Putting them on the terrorist list curbs Iran’s hostile behavior against the international community and its plans to harm regional security," said Ghazi Faisal Hussein, director of the Center for Strategic Studies.

"These groups also represent a source of concern for Iraqis with regard to the safety and sovereignty of their country as they are deeply involved with the Iranian axis and are subject only to the command of the IRGC," Hussein added.

"The leaders of these factions always declare their explicit support for Iran and provoke the Iraqi people with their negative positions, their defiance of the rule of law, and their refusal to submit to the national will and interests," he said.

By stripping the militias of recognition and resources, the US move not only challenges Tehran’s proxy network but also supports Iraq’s broader goal of restoring sovereignty and stability.