United States warns Iraq of dollar transfer suspension over militia disarmament

Iraq faces two critical deadlines by September 30: the completion of the United States military withdrawal and a disarmament ultimatum for non-state armed groups.

According to Iraqi government sources, the United States has warned Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi that monthly dollar transfers to Iraq could be suspended if Iran-aligned militias do not surrender their weapons. This financial pressure is viewed as one of Washington’s most significant levers over Baghdad. The warning follows concerns regarding armed groups targeting American and regional interests.

Simultaneously, the U.S. military presence in Iraq is winding down. While hundreds of troops remain in northern Iraq, officials state they are scheduled to depart or be redeployed to countries like Jordan by the end of the month. Despite the disarmament pressure, many Iranian-backed militias have signaled they have no intention of laying down their weapons, complicating the security landscape as the U.S. mission concludes.