A bipartisan effort is under way in the US House of Representatives to find ways to diminish Iran’s influence in Iraq.
Republican Representative Joe Wilson and Democrat Jimmy Panetta introduced the “Free Iraq from Iran” bill this week, calling for the creation of an “inter-agency strategy” on the subject.
“I am grateful to introduce the Free Iraq from Iran Act,” Mr Wilson said in a post on X on Thursday. “This critical bipartisan bill will support the Iraqi people’s efforts to liberate their country from Iran.”
Mr Wilson, who is the former chairman of the Middle East House subcommittee, has been an outspoken critic of Iran and recently called on Washington to designate several Iraqi paramilitary groups with ties to Tehran as foreign terrorist organisations. Mr Panetta was part of a bipartisan coalition that last year introduced legislation to improve security and military readiness between the US and Abraham Accords signatories in an effort to counter Iran in the Middle East.
The new bill would direct agencies to develop a plan to aid Iraq in its efforts to rid itself of Iran’s influence. The strategy would be aimed at helping to “irreversibly dismantle all Iran-backed puppet militias in Iraq, including but not limited to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), and end Iran’s dominance of Iraq’s political system”.
Iraq’s parliament is currently considering cementing the role of the PMF as a full-fledged arm of the state's security forces.
The bill includes issuing sanctions on Iraq if it continues to import liquefied natural gas from Iran. Washington in March ended a waiver that allowed Iraq to import electricity from Iran, but left a waiver on natural gas in place. Iranian imports have been crucial in addressing shortfalls in Iraq's energy grid.
Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the bill comes as some in Congress have grown frustrated by what they perceive of as a lack of action against Tehran.
"It's a signal of frustration from Congress that the administration said they're going to be tough on Iran, but in the one place that's most economically valuable to Iran, the administration has done nothing," he told The National.
The legislation also calls for a concerted strategy developed by the US Agency for Global Media to “enhance broadcasting efforts” in the country, with a focus on the government's “support of Iranian-backed puppet militias and Iranian-backed terrorist organisations”.
President Donald Trump’s administration has slashed the agency's staff and budget, which could hinder its ability to implement the lawmakers' desired objectives in Iraq.
In addition, the bill states that security assistance to Iraq would be halted unless all Iran-backed militias are dismantled, Iraq “ceases its support for terrorism” and the militias, and the PMF and other groups are removed from government.
Separately, Mr Panetta and Mr Wilson have also introduced the Maximum Support Act, which calls for an inter-agency strategy to support internet freedom and counter-censorship efforts in Iran, and designates the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security as a foreign terrorist organisation, among other actions.