Iraqi MP: US pressure disrupts PMF salaries

Shafaq News – Baghdad/Washington

The United States is ramping up pressure on Iraq’s government, financial sector, and Visa Card companies, a senior Iraqi lawmaker disclosed on Sunday.

Moeen Al-Kadhimi, a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, told Shafaq News that salaries for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), typically processed through Al-Rafidain Bank in cooperation with Qi Card, had been frozen under what he described as “intense American pressure.”

To keep payments moving, Al-Kadhimi urged PMF leaders to temporarily revert to manual payroll lists and distribute salaries in cash until new deals with local banks can secure future electronic transfers.

The salary freeze came just two days after their scheduled release, fueling speculation over whether technical glitches or Qi Card’s refusal to process funds caused the disruption. PMF officials maintain the money is available and say talks with the Finance Ministry and local banks are ongoing to restore regular disbursement.

In parliament, the issue has revived demands to transform the PMF into a formal ministry, protecting its funding from foreign interference.