BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – Iraqi lawmakers reiterated their commitment on Wednesday to pass legislation formalizing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), firmly rejecting U.S. and allied attempts to interfere in the process and exclude the resistance paramilitary group from the country’s official security framework.
The PMF, a coalition of militias formed in 2014 following a call by Iraq’s top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, played a crucial role in fighting Daesh terrorists. However, Washington and some regional allies, including Israel and Persian Gulf Arab states, view the PMF with suspicion due to its nationalist stance and opposition to foreign coalition forces.
“The Iraqi parliament is the sole authority responsible for legislating the PMF law,” said Muhammad al-Khafaji, a member of parliament and supporter of the bill. 
“No foreign entity has the right to interfere in Iraq’s legislative affairs. Any external interference violates our sovereignty.” He added that some political factions following foreign demands are harming Iraq’s national interests.
The law, known as the “structuring law” of the Popular Mobilization Forces, aims to regulate the status, service conditions, retirement benefits, and integration of PMF fighters into Iraq’s formal security apparatus. Supporters say it is vital for protecting the rights of thousands of fighters who have defended Iraq’s borders and internal security over recent years.
Firas al-Muslimawi, another Iraqi MP, stressed the continued readiness of Iraqi security forces and PMF units to guard the country’s western borders, especially near Syria and Jordan, where Daesh sleeper cells remain active threats.
“The so-called withdrawal of U.S. forces from certain bases is in fact a redeployment and will not create any security vacuum,” al-Muslimawi told Reuters. “Border protection has always been the responsibility of Iraqi security 

forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces.”
His remarks come amid reports that the U.S. army is preparing to start withdrawing troops from several sites in Iraq, including Baghdad, and relocate them to the northern city of Erbil in the country’s autonomous Kurdistan region. 
He added that recent U.S. troop movements from bases like Ain al-Asad in Anbar province and Victoria at Baghdad International Airport do not constitute a full military withdrawal, but rather a repositioning.
The PMF law is considered one of Iraq’s most sensitive legislative issues. Its approval would legally formalize the PMF’s role, offering institutional protections and integrating the group fully under state control. But the process has faced intense pressure from Washington and its allies to delay or block the legislation, citing fears of alleged expanding Iranian influence through the PMF.
Supporters argue that passing the law honors the sacrifices made by the Popular Mobilization Forces, who have been instrumental in defeating Daesh terrorists and securing Iraq’s territorial integrity.
Analysts say the debate over the PMF law reflects a broader geopolitical contest in Iraq between forces striving to reinforce national sovereignty and security independence, and foreign actors seeking to limit militias’ influence.
Formed in 2014 following a fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Sistani urging Iraqis to take up arms against Daesh, the PMF has grown into a formidable military force operating under the Iraqi commander-in-chief. It has received popular support for its role in liberating Iraqi territory from extremist groups.
Despite persistent U.S. calls to curb the PMF’s powers, Iraqi officials maintain the group is essential to national defense. They assert the legislation process is an internal matter, free from foreign influence.