US lawmaker ties future Iraq aid to breaking with “Iran-backed militias”
Shafaq News – Washington
A senior US Republican lawmaker on Wednesday warned that future American security assistance to Iraq could be made conditional on Baghdad cutting ties with “Iran-backed militias,” signaling what he described as an unprecedented shift in congressional policy toward the country.
Representative Joe Wilson said Congress is prepared to insert new binding conditions into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to pressure Iraqi authorities into taking “real steps” against armed groups aligned with Tehran.
In a statement posted on X, Wilson praised US President Donald Trump and his special envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, for what he characterized as a new strategic approach toward Baghdad.
“I appreciate the leadership of President Trump and his Special Envoy for Iraq, Mark Savaya, who has declared he wants to Make Iraq Great Again and made clear to Iraq that business as usual in supporting Iran-backed militias will not be tolerated. The time has come to free Iraq from Iran.”
Wilson said Congress is now prepared to enforce that shift through legislation. “Iraq has an opportunity to thrive if it changes its behavior. Congress is ready to back up President Trump with new provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that condition aid to Iraq’s security forces—for the first time ever—on Iraq taking real steps to stop supporting Iran-backed militias. The NDAA also continues to include provisions I sponsored for years prohibiting U.S. taxpayer dollars from going to both the Badr Corps and any Iran-backed militias.”
The congressman went on to level sweeping accusations of Iranian control over Iraqi state institutions.
“As I have said on many occasions, Iraq is coming under the total control of Iran, which runs its military and security forces (which include a number of designated terrorist organizations such as Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and Kataib Imam Ali), its judiciary (through corrupt judges like Fayiq Zaidan, who always rule with Iran), its police (completely overrun by the Badr Corps), and its political system (totally dominated by the Coordination Framework and other Iran-backed militias).”
He argued that under these conditions, electoral outcomes no longer determine Iraq’s political direction. “With these realities, it becomes apparent that it does not matter who wins elections or forms a government, as the entire country is deeply infiltrated by Iran, despite the fact that the majority of Iraqis from all communities want a free and independent country without malign Iranian influence. Congress will not continue to issue blank checks forever. Iraq should seize the opportunity with the leadership of President Trump and Special Envoy Savaya and change its behavior before it’s too late.”
Wilson said Baghdad must halt the financing of armed groups through the federal budget, the Central Bank, or via the oil sector, end all money laundering and financial transfers to Iran and its allies, allow for international auditing of oil sales and related institutions, and take permanent steps to disarm Iran-aligned factions.
He added that Iraq’s government, judiciary, military, and police must act on behalf of their own people, rather than under foreign influence, and stressed that Baghdad must respect the security of the Kurdistan Regional Government and stop allowing or encouraging attacks on the Region.
I appreciate the leadership of President Trump and his Special Envoy for Iraq, Mark Savaya, who has declared he wants to Make Iraq Great Again and made clear to Iraq that business as usual in supporting Iran-backed militias will not be tolerated. The time has come to free Iraq…
— Joe Wilson (@RepJoeWilson) December 9, 2025
