US expects Iraq to help prevent finances of Iran-backed groups
The Treasury Department in Washington, U.S. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – A senior US Treasury official said that the United States expects the Iraqi government to assist in locating and obstructing the funding of armed organizations supported by Iran after a drone strike by Iraqi militants claimed the lives of three US soldiers in Jordan.
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7, organizations linked with Iran have started launching attacks on Israeli and US targets from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria.
The US Treasury official told Reuters that the United States is in a situation where there has been a loss of American life in Jordan, indicating that Iran-backed militias are actively using and abusing the Iraqi financial systems to perpetuate these acts that should be addressed directly.
From the Treasury’s point of view, the US official believes it is evident that there is more that can be done in coordination to exchange information and uncover the precise methods by which these militias are functioning in Iraq.
The Treasury official added that the United States will be able to bring Iraq up to international norms regarding the money laundering and financing of terrorism, which will eliminate a significant portion of this system’s ability to support criminal activities.