Shafaq News- Baghdad
The United States blocked the transfer of roughly $500 million in Iraqioil revenues to Baghdad, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday,pointing to US dissatisfaction over Iraq’s “slow progress” in curbingIran-aligned armed factions.
Citing US State Department officials, the outlet noted that Washington willintensify pressure on Iraq to take clearer steps against groups it associateswith regional attacks on US interests and allied positions, reiterating thatcontinued attacks are straining bilateral ties.
Last week, the US State Department called on the Iraqi government todismantle Iran-aligned armed groups, warning that those supporting them “wouldface consequences.” The move comes as the US Treasury’s Office of ForeignAssets Control (OFAC) placed seven leaders of Iraqi armed groups on itssanctions list, holding them responsible for planning, directing, and carryingout attacks against US personnel, facilities, and interests in Iraq.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) —an umbrella body groupingIran-aligned Iraqi armed factions— previously stated that attacks againstAmerican interests in Iraq and across the region have been suspended on aconditional basis tied directly to the Iran-US two-week ceasefire. It addedthat any breach of the ceasefire, particularly a resumption of American-Israelistrikes against Iran, would trigger an immediate return to operations byfactions within the group, potentially on a larger scale than before. Beforethe halt, IRI carried out hundreds of attacks against American sites in Iraq andthe Gulf, according to successive statements.
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