U.S. Sanctions Seven Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia Commanders as Global Terrorists

Overview

• OFAC, which announced the designations Friday under Executive Order 13224, named seven commanders from Kata'ib Hizballah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq, Harakat al-Nujaba, and Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.
• All U.S.-linked property of the designees is blocked and transactions with them are barred, with violators facing civil or criminal penalties and foreign banks risking secondary sanctions.
• The State Department urged Iraq to dismantle these groups and to stop their use of Iraqi territory for attacks that threaten U.S. personnel and destabilize the region.
• Treasury cited Iranian funding, training, and weapons for these militias, noting AAH’s use of Iranian drones in March and recent focus on KH after a $10 million reward and a late-March kidnapping case.
• Analysts note these groups sit inside Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, an official security umbrella, which could complicate Baghdad’s response and compliance by international partners.