Shafaq News - Baghdad

On Monday, the Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc, representing Asaib Ahl al-Haq, an Iran-aligned faction, urged the Iraqi government and lawmakers to expedite approval of the long-delayed Service and Retirement Law for members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

At a press conference, Sadiqoun leader Habib al-Halawi pressed for the legislation to be scheduled for the nearest parliamentary session, calling on the government to formally resend the draft to Parliament.

Halawi emphasized that “the law is not a privilege for a specific group,” but “a recognition of the blood of martyrs and the rights of the wounded and those who fought.”

The remarks followed recent televised comments by Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who claimed that the United States had obstructed the bill’s progress and expressed opposition to any restructuring of the PMF.

In March, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani withdrew the draft law from Parliament, citing the need to ease political tensions and avoid further disruptions to legislative sessions. At the time, parliamentary meetings were increasingly stalled over disputes concerning the law’s inclusion on the agenda.