Several prominent pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have for the first time expressed a willingness to disarm—an unprecedented development prompted by growing fear of direct confrontation with the Trump administration.
The change in tone comes amid a broader recalibration across Iran’s terror network following the return of President Donald Trump to the White House in January 2025. Under Trump’s leadership, the United States has reasserted its military dominance in the region, signaling zero tolerance for Iranian-backed terrorism and restoring support to allies like Israel in its fight against Hamas, Hezbollah, and other militant proxies.
Iraqi militias, many of which operate under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), have long served as extensions of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), receiving funding, weapons, and orders directly from Tehran. These groups have targeted U.S. forces, launched attacks on Israeli interests, and acted as logistical and military support for Iran’s broader campaign of regional destabilization.
But facing a revitalized American presence, airstrikes on Iran-linked facilities in Syria and Iraq, and the collapse of Iran’s influence in Syria following the downfall of the Assad regime, these militias now face a new reality: confrontation with the Trump administration could mean their annihilation.
Sources within Iraq suggest that leaders of several militias, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, have quietly begun talks with Iraqi political figures about the possibility of disbanding or integrating into state institutions—moves designed to shield themselves from U.S. retaliation while preserving some level of political influence.
This comes after months of sustained Israeli and U.S. pressure on Iran’s terror infrastructure. Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its genocidal assault on Israeli civilians, Iran’s entire proxy network has come under intensified military and economic pressure. Iranian terror groups in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Yemen, and Iraq have all suffered significant blows.
The willingness of Iraq’s pro-Iranian militias to lay down arms marks a potential strategic victory in the war to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s terror empire. It suggests that Iran’s grip over Iraq is weakening and that the combined Israeli-American campaign is reshaping the power dynamics of the Middle East.
While the situation remains fluid, one message is now clear: under Trump’s leadership, and with Israel’s determination, the axis of terror faces consequences it can no longer ignore.
