Peregraf- The U.S. President’s Special Envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, said Iran-backed militias remain at the heart of Iraq’s political, security, and corruption challenges, warning that Washington is stepping up efforts to prevent them from gaining positions of power in the next Iraqi government.
In a post on X, Savaya said U.S. teams on the ground in Iraq are working to support the formation of a new government while actively countering the rise of militias aligned with Iran. He stressed that confronting these groups requires addressing the broader corruption networks that sustain their influence.
Savaya said U.S. authorities now have extensive information on corruption cases involving senior Iraqi officials and their families, noting that looted state funds were used to buy properties abroad and secure foreign citizenships and passports—sometimes under false identities—to avoid accountability. He said these practices have helped protect and empower Iran-backed actors operating within Iraq’s political system.
According to the envoy, many of these cases are concentrated within the region, with others linked to citizenship-by-investment programs outside it. He said this intelligence strengthens international efforts to recover stolen assets and hold those responsible to account.
“Corruption empowers terrorist groups and fuels insecurity across multiple countries,” Savaya said, adding that Iran-backed militias benefit directly from these illicit financial networks.
He emphasized that the United States will work closely with the Treasury Department and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to enforce accountability, targeting all those involved without exception. “No one is above the law,” Savaya said, vowing that justice must be delivered to the Iraqi people.