Iran has granted its commanders greater operational autonomy over allied militias in Iraq, permitting some groups to execute actions without direct approval from Tehran, The Associated Press reported. This decentralization deepens Iraq's struggle to assert control over state-funded armed factions, creating a significant challenge for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's caretaker government. The move intensifies Washington's efforts to curb the groups' influence, a senior Iraqi Kurdish government official noted.
This strategic realignment by Tehran marks a substantial departure from previous command structures, allowing certain Iraqi militia units to make field assessments and act on them independently. The Associated Press, citing three militia members and two other officials familiar with the changes, reported this operational shift. These sources spoke on condition of anonymity to openly discuss sensitive security dynamics within the region.
The move suggests a calculated adjustment to battlefield realities and geopolitical pressures. It grants these groups agility. This new operational reality has profound implications for Iraq's already fragile institutional stability.
Days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, an Iranian delegation arrived in Iraq's Kurdish region with a clear message. They informed Kurdish authorities that if militia attacks escalated near U.S. military bases, commercial interests, or diplomatic missions, the Kurdish leaders should not expect Tehran to intervene. An unnamed senior Iraqi Kurdish government official relayed this to The Associated Press, explaining the sensitivity of the subject. "We can’t help you with the groups in the south right now," the official said, quoting the Iranian representatives directly.
This statement underscored the new reality of devolved authority. It was a stark warning. This shift reflects lessons drawn from the 12-day war in June 2025.
During that conflict, operations were tightly centralized. Following its conclusion, greater autonomy was granted to field commanders, militia officials corroborated. The strategic calculation here is clear: decentralization makes these groups harder to target and harder to control from a singular point.
It complicates U.S. intelligence efforts. Follow the leverage, not the rhetoric. The United States has reacted to these developments by intensifying its efforts against the groups.
On Friday, Washington imposed sanctions on seven commanders and senior members from four hard-line Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups. Michael Knights, head of research for Horizon Engage and an adjunct fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, stated that the U.S. maintains "freedom of action" to strike Iraqi militias. He believes this will likely translate into efforts to guide a less militia-dominated government formation in Baghdad.
This is a direct challenge to the status quo. Many of these Iran-backed militias receive funding through the Iraqi state budget. They are embedded within the security apparatus, a fact that draws consistent criticism from the United States and other nations.
These countries have often borne the brunt of militia attacks and contend that Baghdad has failed to take a firm stance against them. The math does not add up: state funds support groups that undermine state sovereignty. This structural contradiction weakens Iraq's standing.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani finds himself in a precarious position. His government, currently functioning in a caretaker capacity amid a prolonged political deadlock, owes its existence to the Coordination Framework, an alliance of influential pro-Iran Shiite factions. These factions helped install him in 2022.
This political reality severely limits his ability to rein in the very groups now operating with greater Iranian autonomy. His office offered no response to The Associated Press's requests for comment regarding the decentralized control of militia groups. Militia forces attacking U.S. targets are not rogue actors operating entirely outside the state.
They form part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF was established after the fall of Mosul in 2014. Its original purpose was to formalize volunteer units crucial in defeating the Islamic State.
The organization has since grown into a powerful entity, surpassing the Iraqi army in some respects. Its fighters receive state salaries and access to government resources, including weapons and intelligence. This deep entrenchment creates a paradox: groups funded by the Iraqi state prioritize Iranian interests, even when those interests conflict with Iraq's national security.
Mahdi al-Kaabi, a spokesperson for Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, one of the Iran-backed militia groups that has attacked U.S. targets in Iraq, openly discussed coordination with Iran. "To put it bluntly, we are allies of the Islamic Republic," al-Kaabi told The Associated Press. He described the group as an integral part of Iran’s regional "axis," a network that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and Ansar Allah in Yemen. This statement clarifies their geopolitical allegiance.
Yet, al-Kaabi simultaneously insisted on the group's adherence to Iraqi law. "It’s true we’re not affiliated with the government or the prime minister, but we respect the law and the constitution," he said. Here is what they are not telling you: dual loyalty is a practical, not ideological, position for these groups. In the recent war, key Iraqi militia leaders largely stepped back from direct operational involvement. strikes mostly killed mid-level commanders, according to militia officials. "None of the first-line leaders have been killed," a second militia official, not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press.
Rather than targeting top figures, the U.S. also concentrated on Iranian Revolutionary Guard advisory cells, Knights observed. One strike in Baghdad’s upscale Jadriya neighborhood killed three Guard advisers at a house used as their headquarters during a meeting, the second militia official confirmed. This precision targeting indicates a shift in U.S. military strategy, focusing on the logistical and advisory backbone.
Why It Matters: This decentralization of command fundamentally challenges Iraq's sovereignty and its capacity to govern. For ordinary Iraqis, it means continued instability and the risk of their country becoming a battleground for proxy conflicts. The state's inability to control its own armed factions undermines its legitimacy and capacity to deliver security and services.
Regional stability remains elusive. Key Takeaways: - Iran has granted its Iraqi militia allies greater operational autonomy, allowing them to act without direct approval from Tehran. - This shift, influenced by lessons from a previous 12-day war, aims to make the groups more agile and resilient to centralized targeting. - The United States has responded with sanctions and targeted strikes, aiming to isolate hard-line factions and influence Iraqi government formation. - Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani faces a severe challenge controlling state-funded militias tied to his political support base. is focused on curbing the power of these groups in Iraq, a senior Iraqi Kurdish official and a Western diplomat confirmed to The Associated Press. This will place increasing pressure on Baghdad's caretaker government.
Deputy Secretary of State Tommy Bigot summoned Iraq’s ambassador to Washington last week, delivering U.S. condemnation of attacks by Iran-backed factions. Bigot affirmed that the U.S. "will not tolerate any attacks targeting its interests and expects the Iraqi Government to take all necessary measures immediately to dismantle Iran-aligned militia groups." Al-Sudani has taken limited steps, but these have met significant resistance. The coming months will reveal if Baghdad can assert control or if these newly empowered factions will further entrench themselves within the state, determining Iraq's future trajectory.
Key Takeaways
— - Iran has granted its Iraqi militia allies greater operational autonomy, allowing them to act without direct approval from Tehran.
— - This shift, influenced by lessons from a previous 12-day war, aims to make the groups more agile and resilient to centralized targeting.
— - The United States has responded with sanctions and targeted strikes, aiming to isolate hard-line factions and influence Iraqi government formation.
— - Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani faces a severe challenge controlling state-funded militias tied to his political support base.
Source: AP News