Popular Mobilisation Forces

Powerful militias have usurped the state's authority by opening a war front to support Iran. At this critical juncture, Iraq needs statesmen willing to put the state first.

New fronts have opened up across the region in light of the US-Israeli war on Iran, as non-state actors with links to Tehran fear for their futures

Baghdad wants good relations with Washington, but its ties with Tehran run deep. Under increased pressure, it may have to pick a side once and for all.

A pressure campaign by Washington to curb Tehran's influence over Baghdad seems to be yielding results, but any moves to disarm Iran-allied militias could stoke serious violence

Washington's long-term strategy to unshackle Iraq from Iranian influence is yielding results. Having pulled a potent mix of financial and military levers, the militias have been eerily quiet of late.

The US wants this huge Iran-aligned group to disband, but with 240,000 personnel, an arsenal of weapons, and a $3.4bn annual budget, the PMF is closer to becoming an integral part of the Iraqi state

On Monday, three rockets were fired at the Victoria military base in Baghdad hosting US troops. A day earlier, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed a drone attack on the Israeli port city of Eilat.