Iraq’s balancing act is only getting harder as the war between the US and Iran widens
BEIRUT (AP) — Strikes launched by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia against Iran-allied fighters in Iraq have put Iraq’s government in a delicate position — and not for the first time. Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, Iraq has…
Damaged structures lay at the site of an airstrike on a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Mosul, Iraq, on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Farid Abdulwahed) The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran has left Iraq’s government in a precarious position, a situation that has persisted since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The delicate balancing act between Washington and Tehran has become increasingly challenging since the U.S. and Israel declared war on Iran in February.
Saudi Arabia accused Iraqi armed groups of using drones to target its oil facilities, prompting retaliatory strikes in Iraq that targeted bases of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The PMF, a coalition of armed groups with strong ties to Iran, operates semi-autonomously within Iraq’s security forces. These groups have clashed with U.S. forces stationed in Iraq, inviting increased scrutiny from the U.S. government.
In a bid to disarm the PMF, the Iraqi government has set a deadline of September 30, 2026. However, some of the most powerful factions within the PMF, historically close to Iran, have shown no inclination to comply. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed admiration for Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, a political outsider and businessman, yet al-Zaidi may face mounting pressure from the U.S. to rein in the PMF.
Direct confrontation could result in internal unrest, given the PMF's role in combating Islamic State extremists and U.S. forces.
The PMF comprises primarily Shiite, Iran-backed armed groups that joined forces to combat the Islamic State group following its 2014 seizure of vast territories in Iraq. Some factions trace their origins to the Shiite insurgency that arose after the 2003 invasion. Initially allied with the U.S.-led international coalition against Sunni extremists, the PMF has since become a complex entity, with many factions retaining their pre-existing command structures.
Lahib Higel, an expert at the International Crisis Group, notes that while the PMF is officially part of Iraq’s military command, many of its brigades operate semi-autonomously. Since February 28, when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, Iraqi militias have launched regular attacks on U.S. military bases, diplomatic facilities, and energy infrastructure.
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