Iran’s Supreme Leader adviser: PMF is crucial for Iraq's security

Shafaq News – Tehran / Baghdad

Iran and Iraq firmly reject US efforts to disarm the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Iran’s Supreme Leader adviser Ali Akbar Velayati revealed on Sunday.

In a phone call with former Iraqi Prime Minister and head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, Velayati emphasized the PMF’s importance, stressing that “without it, the Americans would have swallowed Iraq.”

He also praised Al-Maliki as a "brave man" for ordering Saddam Hussein’s execution and expelling US forces from Iraq during his tenure.

These remarks come amid growing US pressure urging the Iraqi government to dissolve the PMF. Meanwhile, several Iraqi lawmakers are advancing a vote on the new Popular Mobilization Forces Authority Law, despite strong opposition from Washington.

The legislative move follows nearly nine years after Iraq’s parliament first recognized the PMF in 2016 during the fight against ISIS. While symbolically significant, the original Law lacked clear organizational guidelines. The new draft aims to formally define the PMF’s role within Iraq’s security framework as part of broader reforms.

The US State Department later warned the legislation would strengthen Iran-aligned factions within the PMF, indicating it would maintain “appropriate action” against groups it classifies as “terrorist organizations.”