Iraq’s Sadr Bans his Movement’s Armed Wing from Using Weapons

An Iraqi walks down a street in Baghdad, passing by a portrait of Moqtada al-Sadr wearing the military uniform of Saraya al-Salam (AFP)
An Iraqi walks down a street in Baghdad, passing by a portrait of Moqtada al-Sadr wearing the military uniform of Saraya al-Salam (AFP)
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Iraq’s Sadr Bans his Movement’s Armed Wing from Using Weapons

An Iraqi walks down a street in Baghdad, passing by a portrait of Moqtada al-Sadr wearing the military uniform of Saraya al-Salam (AFP)
An Iraqi walks down a street in Baghdad, passing by a portrait of Moqtada al-Sadr wearing the military uniform of Saraya al-Salam (AFP)

Iraqi cleric and leader of the Sadrist movement, Moqtada al-Sadr, has prohibited his followers and members of his armed faction, Saraya al-Salam, from using weapons inside or outside Iraq.

He also emphasized the need to turn to “wise figures and religious authorities” in the event of external aggression against the country.

Sadr’s directive comes as Washington has urged Baghdad to prevent any armed faction from supporting Yemen’s Houthis amid ongoing US strikes in Yemen.

Tahsin al-Humaidawi, the “jihadist deputy” of Saraya al-Salam, said on Wednesday that Sadr had ordered the group not to carry or brandish weapons domestically or abroad. He reiterated that any response to external threats should be guided by religious authorities and national leaders.

“The fate of the nation and its people should not be decided by an individual or a group,” Humaidawi said, hinting at the necessity of keeping weapons under state control and maintaining the government's exclusive authority over war and peace decisions.

Humaidawi added that Sadr’s instructions also included avoiding sectarian rhetoric and inflammatory statements, warning of potential risks that could destabilize Iraq.

Saraya al-Salam, established in 2014 under Sadr’s leadership to combat ISIS, is an armed group aligned with the Sadrist movement’s political agenda. It operates within a religious and ideological framework shaped by Sadr’s vision.

Political analyst and Sadrist insider Manaf al-Moussawi described Sadr’s decision as a response to a “complex political climate.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he noted that the recent rise in sectarian tensions could escalate into a major crisis. “Sadr is trying to prevent strife from spreading,” he said.

Earlier, Sadr warned against Israel’s expansion into Arab and Muslim territories, saying it was reaching Iraq’s borders amid international silence over the massacres in Palestine.

Moussawi added that Sadr’s stance extends to other armed groups, urging them to heed religious authorities in an effort to limit weapons to state control.



US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates in fresh action targeting the Iran-backed militant group.

The US Treasury Department in a statement said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers that benefit the Houthis.

"The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."

Among those targeted on Tuesday was Muhammad Al-Sunaydar, who the Treasury said manages a network of petroleum companies between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and was one of the most prominent petroleum importers in Yemen.

Three companies in his network were also designated, with the Treasury saying they coordinated the delivery of approximately $12 million dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum products with a US-designated company to the Houthis.

Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

In January, Trump re-designated the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to impose harsher economic penalties in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships defending the critical maritime area.

In May, the United States announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

The Israeli military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday in its latest assault on the militants, who have been striking ships bound for Israel and launching missiles against it.