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Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
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Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) continue to arrest prominent figures linked to the Saraya al-Khorasani brigades and Iran, who are accused of attacking civilian activists.

Less than 24 hours after the arrest of Hamid al-Jazairi, deputy commander general of the group, the PFM arrested on Monday 30 members of the Brigades while searching for their Secretary-General Ali Al-Yasiri.

Sources reported that Al-Yasiri “was not present at the Saraya headquarters during the raid launched by PMF security personnel."

“He intended to travel to Syria, but he returned and turned himself over in to the PMF Security Directorate,” the sources added.

Another source close to the PMF confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat the dismantling of the Saraya al-Khorasani.

“The decision was issued following an Iranian approval,” the source explained, adding that the PMF chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, known as Abu Fadak, directly supervised the dismantling process, for unknown reasons.

“It seems that the dismantling decision has the blessing of other factions in the PMF and was welcomed by the Iraqi government, particularly given the bad reputation associated with this faction at the local level.”

In May, Head of the PMF Faleh al-Fayyad relieved al-Jazairi and Waad Al-Qaddo of their duties. Both are known for their loyalty to Iran.

The decision has dealt a severe blow to the influence of the Iraqi militias affiliated with Tehran.

Jazairi has been accused of leading a team of snipers who killed protesters in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad in October last year, when Iraqis protested against Iranian influence in Iraq.

The Saraya al-Khorasani Brigades is closely linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and accused of doing Tehran’s “dirty” works in Iraq.

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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)

Russia, Iran, and Türkiye have called for an end to Israel’s military escalation in the Middle East, expressing concern over the worsening regional situation and warning of negative impacts on Syria.
At the conclusion of the 22nd round of Syria talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution, focused on restarting the work of the Constitutional Committee.
The escalation in the region, combined with the uncertainty following US President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, was a major topic of discussion in Astana, both during bilateral talks and in broader sessions.
The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Lavrentiev, Special Representative for Syria, while Iran’s delegation was headed by Ali Asghar Haji, Senior Political Advisor to the Foreign Minister. Türkiye’s delegation was led by Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Director-General for Syrian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.
The Syrian government delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Riad, and the opposition delegation, led by Ahmad Tohme, were also present.
Representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with observers from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, attended the talks.
UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen was also present.
Sources at the meetings told Asharq Al-Awsat that much of the discussion focused on the impact of ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon and their effects on Syria, particularly amid Israel’s efforts to expand the conflict.
There was a strong emphasis on preventing Syria from becoming further embroiled in the growing conflict. Additionally, the impact of Trump’s election on US policy towards the region and Syria was widely discussed, with increasing speculation that Trump might follow through on promises to withdraw US troops from Syria.
This issue was highlighted by Russia’s envoy, Lavrentiev, at the close of the talks.
Lavrentiev stated that Russia is open to talks with the new US administration once it is in place to discuss issues related to Syria.
“If there are proposals, Russia is open and ready to continue communication with the US,” he added.
According to Lavrentiev, “Some compromises can only be reached through negotiations.”
A source from the Syrian opposition, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, said there is a shared view that a US withdrawal from Syria is “not inevitable, even if Trump has mentioned it.”
The source noted that Trump has become more pragmatic and responsive to the "deep state," with a better understanding of foreign policy.
The source also pointed out that Türkiye shares this view. While Ankara wants the US to leave, it does not want a unilateral withdrawal without coordination, especially since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are open to talks with both the Syrian government and Russia.

The discussions also highlighted that, despite Israel's efforts to reduce Iranian influence in the region, it is unlikely that Trump will push for a withdrawal under the current situation.