Washington is taking a tougher stance against Iranian militias in Iraq
- Washington's monitoring and cooperation with Iraq
- Change of tone and opportunity to increase pressure
- Effects of previous attacks and siege on militias
- Armed Shiite militias and scenarios in Iraq and Yemen
- Political signals in Iraq and responses from factions
- Intelligence approach and messages to local actors
US President Donald Trump's envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, confirmed on Monday that the US administration is taking a tougher approach to militia activity in Iraq, linking this path to strengthening the security, stability and sovereignty of the Iraqi state.
In a tweet on his X platform account, he wrote that he held a meeting he described as ‘very successful’ with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Centre at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, explaining that the meeting addressed sensitive security and political files directly related to the situation in Iraq and armed networks linked to Iran.
He confirmed that the talks focused on the role of Iran-backed militias, their operational mechanisms and their logistical and financial networks, indicating that this issue is a high priority on the US administration's agenda. He also highlighted the need to preserve and consolidate what he described as the Iraqi government's efforts over the past year, particularly in the areas of border security, combating smuggling and corruption, and consolidating the authority of the state and its security institutions.
Washington's monitoring and cooperation with Iraq
He stressed that Washington, under Trump's leadership, would continue to closely monitor the situation and that he was personally committed to uncovering and prosecuting any violations wherever they occurred, as part of a policy aimed at achieving stability in Iraq and ensuring its security in a manner that serves its sovereignty and the interests of its people.
He also noted that cooperation between US and Iraqi agencies would remain central to this approach, with a focus on dismantling illegal networks that undermine state authority. He concluded his tweet with a starkly political statement: ‘The Iraqi people will make Iraq great again,’ attempting to link the US vision with Iraqi aspirations for stability and development, and conveying the message that reducing the influence of militias is a crucial step in rebuilding the state and strengthening its central role.
Change of tone and opportunity to increase pressure
Savaya's statements reflect a clear change in tone on the part of the US regarding Iran's unofficial presence in Iraq, particularly through Shiite militias loyal to Tehran. His tweet does not appear to be a simple repetition of previous positions, but rather suggests a more assertive strategy based on taking advantage of a regional and international moment that, from Washington's perspective, is conducive to reducing Iranian influence and its weapons.
Firstly, the US hardening is part of a broader context, as Iran itself demonstrates. The internal protests that have affected the Islamic Republic in recent months, described as the most violent since the establishment of the regime, have created political and security turmoil in Tehran.
Washington sees these disturbances as an opportunity to intensify pressure, not only on the Iranian state, but also on its regional networks of influence. This explains Savaya's insistence on targeting militias as part of a broader policy aimed at keeping Iran under pressure on multiple fronts, both domestically and internationally.
Effects of previous attacks and siege on militias
Furthermore, the US administration is aware that Iran no longer has the same momentum it had before the series of Israeli and US air strikes against vital sites, including military and nuclear sites, in which several high-ranking commanders of the Revolutionary Guard and scientists from the nuclear programme were killed.
These attacks, which took place months ago, weakened the capacity of some of Tehran's allies and disrupted their supply lines and movements. In this context, Savaya's statements confirm that Washington does not intend to rest on its laurels, but rather seeks to consolidate these achievements by tightening the siege around the militias in Iraq, which it considers one of the remaining pillars of Iranian influence.
Armed Shiite militias and scenarios in Iraq and Yemen
Iraq and Yemen appear today as the last two important bastions of this influence, but the situation in both countries is not stable in Tehran's favour. Internal tensions, political divisions and constant international pressure make it difficult for Iran to maintain its presence at the same pace.
The US interpretation, reflected in Savaya's statements, is that maintaining pressure will gradually lead to “clipping Tehran's wings” in these two areas, either by reducing the size of the militias or by pushing local governments to distance themselves further from it.
Political signals in Iraq and responses from factions
In Iraq, in particular, the political reality shows signs of a slow but noticeable change. Recent developments on the Iraqi scene suggest a growing tendency to avoid turning the country into an open battlefield between Washington and Tehran. This trend coincides with the US vision, which seeks to strengthen the authority of the Iraqi state, secure its borders and combat smuggling and corruption.
Most importantly, a significant number of Iraqi militias loyal to Iran have begun to take US messages more seriously. The recent US operation in Venezuela, coupled with Trump's explicit threats, was interpreted by these factions as a sign that they too could be a potential target. This realisation has led some of them to show a degree of cooperation with decisions to restrict weaponry to the state, in an attempt to avoid direct confrontation with Washington. However, there are still factions that resist this pressure and refuse to participate fully in the disarmament or integration process.
Intelligence approach and messages to local actors
Savaya's meeting with Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, and Joe Kent, Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, reinforces the impression that the Iraqi dossier is now being managed from a precise security and intelligence perspective, and not just a political one. The emphasis on ‘exposing and prosecuting’ any violations wherever they are found suggests a more practical than rhetorical approach.
Savaya's statements seem to convey a double message: to Iraqi factions, that Washington supports the strengthening of state sovereignty, and to Iran-backed militias, that the era of appeasement is over. His closing statement, ‘The Iraqi people will make Iraq great again,’ can be interpreted as an attempt to link the American vision with internal Iraqi demands for stability, hinting that reducing the influence of militias is part of this process.