America moves against three Shiite groups in addition to the Rafidain Bank in Iraq.

America moves against three Shiite groups in addition to the Rafidain Bank in Iraq.

America moves against three Shiite groups in addition to the Rafidain Bank in IraqThe US State Department said on Friday that the United States is targeting Kata’ib Hezbollah and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq for their efforts to “undermine Iraq’s sovereignty.”

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Piggott wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the United States seeks to exert maximum pressure on Iran.

“We are targeting the IRGC-QF, which supports Iran’s regional terrorist partners and proxies, and two groups based in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq,” he added.

“These militias are actively working to undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, weaken its economy, and launch attacks against American personnel and interests throughout the Middle East,” Piggott continued.

Meanwhile, US Republican Congressman Joe Wilson called on the Trump administration to include the Badr Corps, its leader Hadi al-Ameri, and the Iraqi state-owned Rafidain Bank on the list of armed factions targeted by sanctions.

This came in a tweet on the “X” website in response to what was published by the US State Department’s deputy spokesman, with Wilson stressing that “Iraq must be liberated from Iran.”

These statements come after the US Treasury Department imposed a new package of sanctions on Thursday targeting Iraqi banking figures and companies linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata’ib Hezbollah, including the Al-Muhandis Company, the economic arm of the Popular Mobilization Forces. The move, it said, aims to “dismantle the corruption and money laundering networks that enable armed groups to operate inside and outside Iraq.”

The ministry said in a statement, translated by Shafaq News Agency, that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against individuals and companies “that help the Iranian regime evade US sanctions, smuggle weapons, and engage in widespread corruption within the Iraqi economy,” noting that the Iranian regime “relies on its Iraqi militia proxies to penetrate Iraqi state institutions and security services.”

According to the statement, these Iran-backed groups are responsible for the deaths of American citizens and attacks on US interests and those of its allies in the region. They also continue to weaken the Iraqi economy and monopolize public resources through illicit gain and corruption.

According to the Treasury Department, the new sanctions include Iraqi bankers, a commercial front company, a large economic entity linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces, and security personnel who operate spy networks for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps inside Iraq.

According to the statement, “Kata’ib Hezbollah, one of the most prominent factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces, established the General Engineer Company for Contracting, Agriculture, and Industry to provide economic cover for its activities.”

According to a statement by the US Treasury, the company, controlled by Kata’ib Hezbollah leader Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi (Abu Fadak), exploited government contracts to transfer funds from state institutions to commercial fronts, including Baladna Agricultural Investments Company, to finance the activities of armed factions and arms smuggling operations in coordination with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The ministry confirmed that “General Engineer Company and Baladna Company were designated under Executive Order 13224 for their material and financial support to the IRGC and Kata’ib Hezbollah.”

The US Treasury statement also indicated that the sanctions also included three Iraqi bank executives accused of abusing their positions to benefit the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq. The statement explained that these officials exploited the Iraqi financial system to launder money, smuggle currency, and generate revenue for Iranian-backed terrorist groups.

He explained that among those sanctioned is businessman Ali Muhammad Ghulam Hussein al-Ansari, who used his influence over several Iraqi banks to generate millions of dollars for the Revolutionary Guards and Kata’ib Hezbollah. He added that he “provided financial services to Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, including purchasing dollars and laundering money using forged documents to evade government oversight.”

The sanctions also included brothers Ali and Aqeel Muftan Khafif al-Bidani, who run a commercial bank linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. They are accused of laundering tens of millions of dollars and smuggling oil and drugs, in addition to exploiting Aqeel Muftan’s position as head of the Iraqi Olympic Committee for illicit financial purposes.

The US Treasury statement warned that “Kata’ib Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps have conducted coordinated operations to gather intelligence on US forces inside Iraq since the beginning of 2025.”

He explained that “Hassan Qahtan al-Saidi, a leader in the Hezbollah Brigades, led a spy network operating out of Baghdad, comprising members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, headed by his son Mohammed and Haitham Subaih Saeed, which was gathering information on US military movements for the Revolutionary Guard.”

Shafaq.com

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