Al-Ameri: Iraqi PM denies US request to disband PMF

Al-Ameri: Iraqi PM denies US request to disband PMF
2025-01-15 11:34

Shafaq News / On Wednesday, Hadi Al-Ameri, head of Iraq's Fatah Alliance, reaffirmed his support for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), calling the group a vital pillar of Iraq’s security and aligning his stance with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the country’s top Shiite cleric.

Speaking at the relaunch ceremony of Al-Ghadeer TV, Al-Ameri said Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani had personally denied rumors that the United States requested the dissolution or integration of the PMF.

Al-Ameri described the PMF as the "safety valve of Iraq" and urged efforts to counter what he called misinformation aimed at discrediting the group.

Social media rumors had suggested that Washington had pressured Baghdad to disband the PMF, but Al-Sudani’s office has not corroborated these claims.

The PMF, an umbrella group of predominantly Shiite paramilitaries formed to fight the Islamic State group, remains a contentious issue between Iran and the US. Washington views the PMF as a proxy for Iranian influence in Iraq, while Tehran considers it crucial to maintaining regional stability.

During a recent visit to Tehran, Al-Sudani met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who stressed the importance of safeguarding the PMF. “The PMF is a key element of Iraq’s power and must be preserved and strengthened,” Khamenei said.

Al-Sudani, in turn, highlighted Iraq’s pillars of strength, which he identified as its people, unity, religious authority, and the PMF.

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