Iraqi Resistance leader accuses US of "blatant interference" over PMF legislation
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Qais al-Khazali, Secretary-General of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a powerful Iran-aligned Shiite faction within the PMF, warned against US pressure on legislation related to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
“What is happening today is no longer mere diplomatic overreach—it is a clear assault on Iraqi sovereignty and a direct blow to the democratic process so often championed by the West,” al-Khazali stated.
He criticized American efforts to influence the Iraqi legislative process, claiming they amount to political blackmail and the disruption of state institutions. “Preventing parliament from fulfilling its legislative and oversight duties under American pressure is unacceptable,” he said, adding that yielding to such pressure would be tantamount to “surrendering national decision-making and abandoning the will of the Iraqi people.”
Al-Khazali also defended the rights of PMF fighters, saying they are not up for negotiation, insisting that passing legislation to protect their entitlements is a national and moral obligation, “not a political option.”
His remarks follow a statement by US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had raised serious concerns with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani over the proposed PMF law. According to Bruce, Rubio warned that the legislation would strengthen the role of armed groups.
— قيس الخزعلي (@Qais_alkhazali) July 24, 2025
