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US Warns Baghdad Against Armed Faction Interference in Planned Operations

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi and Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah (Archive–Prime Minister’s Office)
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi and Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah (Archive–Prime Minister’s Office)
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US Warns Baghdad Against Armed Faction Interference in Planned Operations

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi and Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah (Archive–Prime Minister’s Office)
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi and Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah (Archive–Prime Minister’s Office)

Just two days after a US message reassured Baghdad about the future of bilateral relations, the Iraqi government appears to have received its sternest warning yet from the White House regarding armed factions.

The message contained a direct threat should these groups carry out any retaliatory actions in response to planned US operations in areas near Iraq in the coming days.

Iraq is preparing for its sixth parliamentary elections since the 2003 US-led invasion, amid deep divisions among political forces.

In this context, the mixed signals from Washington have fueled growing concern across the political spectrum, particularly among Shiite factions.

Two days after what seemed a clear signal of support for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is contesting the elections amid intense internal disputes within the Shiite Coordination Framework, Baghdad received a sharply worded warning from US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, conveyed in a phone call to his Iraqi counterpart, Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi.

In a televised interview, al-Abbasi said Hegseth, via the US chargé d’affaires in Baghdad, warned of upcoming military operations in the region, cautioning against any interference by Iraqi factions. No further operational details were provided.

Al-Abbasi said the call lasted 11 to 12 minutes and included Iraq’s Chief of Staff, Deputy Joint Operations Commander, Assistant Operations Chief, and Director of Military Intelligence. The discussion also covered drone cooperation, a proposed security and intelligence cooperation memorandum, and the planned delivery of Bell helicopters to Iraq.

Al Abbasi concluded that Hegseth ended the call with a pointed warning: This is your final notice and you know well how the current administration will respond.

Experts Warn of Serious Concerns
Analysts speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat acknowledged serious concerns over the future of US-Iraq relations, regardless of the upcoming election results.

Dr. Ihsan Al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi Center for Political Thought, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US administration’s strategy, particularly regarding armed factions and Iranian allies, is still in its initial testing phase.

Therefore, the fact that Washington has not yet taken concrete action suggests that steps are expected within a formal state framework.

Al-Shammari added that the US Secretary of War’s message reflects this approach and carries a clear warning. It signals that these groups are now targeted and have no option but to either align with the state and disarm or face potential US military action.

He noted that statements by US envoy Mark Savaya and Secretary Hegseth constitute a roadmap for political forces forming the next government, in line with American options.

Political analyst Dr. Abbas Abboud Salem told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US warning is not new in terms of Washington’s stance toward armed factions, as the conflict has been ongoing for years. The question now is why the threat comes at this particular moment.

Abboud said regional transformations, including developments in Syria and shifting regional power balances, mark a new phase in which secondary actors can no longer play significant roles.

He added that the US is not seeking an equal partnership with Iraq as it does with other countries. Its primary goal is to curb Iranian influence in Iraq and the broader region, particularly during elections, when some factions are participating, a scenario Washington finds unacceptable.

Security and strategy expert Mukhlid Hazem told Asharq Al-Awsat that it is clear that military arrangements are underway in the region, possibly targeting Iran, with coordinated air operations against Iranian-backed armed factions.

Hazem noted that this is not the first US warning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously issued a similar warning during a call with the Iraqi prime minister. Savaya also sent a clear warning in his latest message, and any targeting could occur at any moment, as al-Abbasi publicly confirmed.

He added that there is an unmistakable US escalation against Iran, putting everyone on alert. Military operations against Tehran could happen soon, whether by the US or Israel.

The Muhandis Controversy

Separately, Iraq’s Ministry of Communications responded to a US media report claiming it had contracted the Muhandis company, affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces PMF, for a project.

The ministry said in a statement that the company is government-owned, under the PMF, and is entitled to participate in tenders and execute projects according to applicable regulations. It added that all ministry formations have the right to contract with any government-owned companies.

The statement clarified that the contract with Muhandis was fully compliant with Government Contract Execution Instructions No 2, after the company and others from the Ministries of Construction, Housing, and Industry were invited to participate in the maintenance of fiber-optic cable routes and the excavation and extension of new routes.

It stressed that this work is not linked in any way to Iraq’s Communications Administration, which exclusively manages and operates the fiber-optic network, using ministry staff only.

The US Treasury had imposed new sanctions on October 9 targeting Iraqi banking figures and companies linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah Brigades, including Muhandis, described as the PMF’s economic arm. Washington said the sanctions aimed to dismantle corruption and money-laundering networks enabling armed groups to operate inside and outside Iraq.

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Arab World

Representatives of 3 Countries Receive Families of ISIS Fighters from Syria’s Roj Camp

Women and their children at the Roj camp in Syria. (AFP file)
Women and their children at the Roj camp in Syria. (AFP file)
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Representatives of 3 Countries Receive Families of ISIS Fighters from Syria’s Roj Camp

Women and their children at the Roj camp in Syria. (AFP file)
Women and their children at the Roj camp in Syria. (AFP file)

Representatives of Sudan, Somalia and Indonesia have received another group of their nationals from the Roj camp in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province, the country’s last remaining camp housing families of ISIS fighters.

The handover took place three days ago during a visit by the foreign representatives, accompanied by Syrian government officials and members of the Internal Security Forces, according to a local activist.

The repeated visits by government security delegations suggest that Damascus is preparing to take over administration of the facility from the dissolved Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the activist said.

Ibrahim al-Halabi, a resident of Hasakah, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the delegation met women living at the site who described their circumstances.

Located in the far northeast of Hasakah province, Roj houses around 2,200 women and children in 750 tents. Its residents hold various foreign and Arab nationalities, including Turkish, Russian, British, French, German, Australian, Indonesian, Sudanese, Somali and Tunisian citizenship. It became Syria’s last remaining camp for families of ISIS fighters following the closure of al-Hol, also in the Hasakah countryside.

Several groups of Sudanese, Somali and Indonesian nationals have already been repatriated since 2022.

According to Halabi, the latest handover included 12 Indonesian women and their children, 30 Somali women and between three and nine Sudanese women.

Dual citizenship complicates repatriation

Halabi explained that Sudanese and Somali nationals repatriated in previous operations held only one nationality. Others, however, have dual citizenship, including Sudanese-British and Somali-British nationals, complicating efforts to arrange their return.

Some women have refused to be handed over to Sudanese authorities, demanding instead that they be transferred to the British government. As a result, Sudanese and Somali women holding dual nationality have yet to be repatriated, Halabi noted.

He added that Syrian government Internal Security Forces had entered Roj several times recently, during which residents from Australia, Sudan, Somalia, Indonesia and Trinidad and Tobago were transferred out.

The latest visit brought considerable relief to residents.

Halabi also viewed the visits as a sign that Damascus would assume responsibility for managing the facility. However, he expected security arrangements to remain under the supervision of former SDF personnel integrated into the government’s Internal Security Forces under the January 2026 agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish-led force.

Roj's future

In February, the Syrian government took control of al-Hol, previously the country’s largest detention camp for families of ISIS fighters, after wresting it from the SDF, which had administered both facilities.

Al-Hol, described as the world’s most dangerous camp, had housed tens of thousands of families of various nationalities.

Following its takeover, Damascus began evacuating foreign residents and transferring them to another camp in the northern Aleppo province.

With al-Hol closed, Roj emerged as the most prominent remaining facility housing women and widows of ISIS members from different countries.

However, activists in northern Syria say it remains unclear when the camp will close or where its residents will be transferred afterward.

Arab World

Iraq Reopens One Border Crossing with Iran, Closes Another as It Pursues Mediation

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (INA)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (INA)
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Iraq Reopens One Border Crossing with Iran, Closes Another as It Pursues Mediation

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (INA)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (INA)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed Tuesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s secret visit to Iran was aimed at bringing Tehran and Washington closer together, as Baghdad reopened one border crossing with Iran and announced the temporary closure of another.

Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum, Hussein described the visit as “an attempt to bring the Iranian and American positions closer together, alongside other efforts.”

He stressed Iraq’s interest in easing tensions, citing the economic impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and casualties from the US war on Iran.

“We have strong relations with our neighbor Iran, as well as excellent relations with the United States,” Hussein said. “That is why Iraq can play this role, although other countries are also doing so.”

Request for time

A senior Iraqi government official told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Zaidi had conveyed an American message to Tehran outlining a possible formula for resolving the conflict between the two countries.

The Iranian side, however, requested more time to respond, according to the official.

A source familiar with the visit confirmed to Iran’s Fars News Agency that al-Zaidi had traveled to Tehran last Friday for several hours and met Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and head of its negotiating delegation.

The agency reported that talks focused exclusively on Baghdad’s efforts to end the war.

Despite repeated official statements presenting the visit as a mediation effort, a source close to Iraq’s Coordination Framework suggested it might instead have been motivated by domestic concerns.

“Al-Zaidi’s recent policies, particularly the ban on Iranian flights and the closure of some border crossings, have caused considerable harm to Iran,” the source told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The visit may therefore have been intended to explain Baghdad’s position on those measures and avoid angering Tehran, it added.

It pointed to the recent public confrontation between al-Zaidi and Kataib Hezbollah, warning that tensions could lead to a direct clash. Given its influence and close ties with some armed factions, Tehran could help ease the dispute.

Regional role

Ihssan Shmary, an academic and head of the Political Thinking Center, believes al-Zaidi’s visit was primarily part of his efforts to establish a regional diplomatic role through an initiative he had previously presented to US President Donald Trump.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Shmary said that the trip coincided with extensive Arab and regional efforts to reduce tensions and prevent renewed fighting between Washington and Tehran.

He described the trip as an attempt to break the deadlock between the two countries and secure a foreign policy achievement for Iraq.

Nevertheless, he questioned Baghdad’s ability to bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table.

“Iraq may be very far from being able to play the role of a country that brings the US and Iran together at a table of understanding,” he cautioned.

Al-Sheeb reopens, Mandali closes

In a separate development, Omar al-Waeli, head of Iraq’s Border Ports Authority, announced Tuesday the reopening of the al-Sheeb crossing with Iran, which had been closed since October 21.

Authorities also decided to temporarily close the Mandali crossing in the Diyala province beginning Friday.

Al-Waeli explained that al-Sheeb would resume operations following completion of the required technical procedures, while Mandali’s closure would allow similar technical requirements to be addressed.

The decisions followed earlier remarks by Foreign Minister Hussein revealing that the US Treasury Department had formally requested Baghdad to close all its border crossings with Iran except two.

Ban on Iranian flights remains in place

Meanwhile, Iran’s Football Federation announced Tuesday that Iraq had refused permission for a direct flight carrying the Iranian national team to land at Basra airport.

The team was scheduled to participate in a friendly tournament alongside Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency quoted the federation as blaming obstacles imposed by the Iraqi government, particularly its refusal to authorize a direct flight to Basra.

As a result, the players traveled to the Iranian city of Abadan, from where they would continue to Basra by road.

An Iraqi Transport Ministry official told Asharq Al-Awsat that Iranian aircraft were permitted to land only at Najaf airport.

The Iranian side had chosen to fly the team to Abadan because it was closer to the stadium in Basra, the official explained.

He confirmed that Iraq remained committed to its ban on Iranian flights landing at Iraqi airports, with Najaf as the sole exception, to avoid US Treasury sanctions.

Arab World

Houthis Target Sanaa Bakeries to Fund War Effort

Houthis shut dozens of bakeries to extort money from owners. (Facebook)
Houthis shut dozens of bakeries to extort money from owners. (Facebook)
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Houthis Target Sanaa Bakeries to Fund War Effort

Houthis shut dozens of bakeries to extort money from owners. (Facebook)
Houthis shut dozens of bakeries to extort money from owners. (Facebook)

Yemen's capital Sanaa is facing a looming bread shortage after the terrorist Houthi militia shut dozens of bakeries in a campaign to extract illegal payments from owners, targeting even charitable bakeries that feed poor families while forcing others to use low-quality flour.

Local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Houthi-controlled industry and trade authorities had deployed about 12 inspection teams since the middle of last week to raid, shut down and extort money from some 78 bakeries in the Maeen and Al-Wahda districts, citing alleged violations of bread weight regulations.

Bakery owners said the inspections were a pretext to impose more levies and force them to fund the Houthi war effort under threat of closure.

Only 25 of the 78 shuttered bakeries have reopened, after their owners were forced to pay. The rest remain closed and subject to restrictions, fueling fears that the crackdown could spread to other neighborhoods, further disrupting bread production and deepening residents' hardship.

Although Houthi inspection teams said the campaign was aimed at enforcing weight regulations, they also targeted charitable establishments known as "bakeries for the poor," demanding zakat payments despite having no authority to collect the Islamic charitable levy.

The crackdown on charitable bakeries has deprived hundreds of poor and displaced families of bread they once received free or at discounted prices.

Bakery owners in Sanaa told Asharq Al-Awsat that harassment and extortion had intensified, accusing the Houthis of turning bread production into a source of revenue.

The demands include contributions to the war effort under the banner of "supporting the front lines," as well as funding mobilization and recruitment campaigns.

Owners said the mounting costs threatened their ability to stay in business.

Residents reported dwindling bread supplies and visible shortages in several neighborhoods, warning that prolonged closures would hurt more than bakery owners.

The Houthis also face accusations of increasingly exploiting regulatory bodies under their control to squeeze money from the remaining businesses, imposing ever-higher levies instead of policing markets, protecting consumers, improving product quality and keeping prices stable.

The practices threaten one of the most essential staples in Yemeni households, adding to the strain on residents.

Beyond the closures, bakery owners in Sanaa said the Houthis had forced them in recent weeks to buy poor-quality wheat flour, some of it stored for years in warehouses belonging to the Houthi-run Zakat Authority, and mix it with the white flour used to make bread and pastries.

Bakers condemned the orders, saying they showed disregard for potential health risks to consumers.

The measures coincided with a surge in white flour prices, with bags now costing several times their previous prices.

Bakery owners said the mounting levies and restrictions, which threatened to bankrupt them, had left them with little choice but to accept and use the poor-quality flour.

With product quality deteriorating and customer demand falling, workers in the bread industry fear their businesses could collapse.