Iran Flags Expanded Militia Role in Iraq Following US Military Exit

Iran's Quds Force commander Brig Gen Esmail Qaani has asserted that the US withdrawal from Iraq clears the path for Tehran-backed militias to secure a larger role in the nation's future, despite Iraqi government commitments to integrate armed factions into state control.

These remarks, which may draw criticism from Iraqi officials, follow Iraq's transition into a new security era with Washington following the official conclusion of the 12-year US-led mission against ISIS. The departure of US forces has raised questions regarding the upcoming responsibilities of Iran-backed armed factions. Initially, the Iraqi government tied the deadline for state weapons control to the September 30 US withdrawal date, but that timeline has since been postponed to June of next year.

State media quoted Brig Gen Qaani as stating, “The US, despite possessing vast resources and equipment, has been expelled from Iraq … thanks to the resistance of the Iraqi nation and the heroes of the Resistance Front.”

Shortly after US troops departed, the powerful Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah faction rejected claims that an agreement had been established with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi regarding militia disarmament. Brig Gen Qaani further noted, “God willing, co-ordination among the government, state institutions and the children of the resistance will carry Iraq towards greater well-being, steadfastness and sovereignty.” He added that these groups maintain a steady presence in Iraq using strategic planning and prudence.

Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Iran has utilized proxy networks in Iraq as part of a broader forward-defence strategy to safeguard its regime and expand regional influence, mirroring its establishment of Hezbollah in Lebanon during the 1980s.

With Tehran engaging in direct conflicts with Israel and the US, its reliance on regional proxies has intensified. Amid diminished military capabilities for Hezbollah, groups like the Houthis in Yemen have taken prominent roles in revitalising the Axis of Resistance. Brig Gen Qaani advocated for reinforcing the Iran-backed defence network across the Islamic world, spanning from Afghanistan to Yemen, and from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon, while calling for the removal of remaining US footprints in the region.