US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth<\/p>\n
Iraqi Defence Minister Thabet al-Abbasi has disclosed that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth directly warned Baghdad of imminent military operations in the region, urging Iraq to restrain pro-Iranian militias operating within its borders.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a televised interview late Saturday, al-Abbasi said the phone call, made via the US charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires in Baghdad, marked the clearest warning yet from the White House since renewed tensions with Tehran and its regional allies.<\/p>\n
\u201cHegseth told us clearly that operations are coming and that we must ensure no faction in Iraq interferes,\u201d al-Abbasi said. \u201cHe concluded the call with, \u2018This is your final notice \u2014 and you know very well how this administration will respond.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The revelation came just two days after a White House message conveyed assurances about the stability of US\u2013Iraq relations. Yet, the tone of Hegseth\u2019s conversation with al-Abbasi sharply contrasted with the diplomatic overtures.<\/p>\n
According to al-Abbasi, the 11-minute call included Iraq\u2019s top military brass, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Joint Operations Commander, and Director of Military Intelligence, and covered a range of topics from drone cooperation and a security memorandum to the delivery of Bell helicopters.<\/p>\n
However, the call\u2019s closing remarks have unsettled Baghdad\u2019s political circles, especially Shiite factions aligned with Iran. The Shiite Coordination Framework, already divided ahead of Iraq\u2019s sixth parliamentary elections since the 2003 US-led invasion, now faces growing pressure amid US warnings and speculation of upcoming strikes near Iraq\u2019s western border.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis message was a turning point,\u201d said a senior Iraqi military source, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat. \u201cIt was not just a routine consultation, it was an ultimatum.\u201d<\/p>\n
Political experts view the conversation as part of a broader strategic recalibration by Washington, signalling an intent to strike Iranian-linked factions across the Levant.<\/p>\n
Dr Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi Centre for Political Thought, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US administration\u2019s approach appears to be shifting from diplomatic restraint to a \u201cformal state framework\u201d that could soon translate into military action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Secretary of War\u2019s message reflects a new phase, either these groups align with the state and disarm, or they face confrontation,\u201d al-Shammari said. \u201cThe warning is explicit, and it is backed by operational intent.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that remarks by both US envoy Mark Savaya and Hegseth \u201clay out a roadmap\u201d for the next Iraqi government, effectively forcing Baghdad to choose between sovereignty or alignment with Iranian interests.<\/p>\n
Strategist Mukhlid Hazem suggested the warning could precede coordinated air operations targeting Iranian Revolutionary Guard\u2013backed militias across Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe US escalation is unmistakable,\u201d Hazem said. \u201cMilitary arrangements are under way, perhaps joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian assets. It is no longer theoretical.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that similar warnings had been issued earlier by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Savaya, further reinforcing the perception that Washington\u2019s patience has run out with Tehran\u2019s proxies.<\/p>\n
Political analyst Dr Abbas Abboud Salem echoed that sentiment, saying the timing of the message \u2014 just before Iraq\u2019s elections, was deliberate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe US does not want to see Iran-backed factions gain political ground during the elections,\u201d he said. \u201cThe threat serves as a reminder that Washington\u2019s priority remains the containment of Iranian influence, not partnership with Baghdad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Iraq\u2019s Ministry of Communications has pushed back against reports claiming it had contracted the Muhandis Company, affiliated with the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) \u2014 groups long sanctioned by Washington for alleged links to the IRGC and Hezbollah Brigades.<\/p>\n
The ministry clarified that Muhandis is a government-owned entity eligible to compete for contracts under Iraqi law and that its current fibre-optic maintenance project adhered to Government Contract Execution Instructions No. 2.<\/p>\n
However, the issue has aggravated tensions. On October 9, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on Iraqi financial and commercial figures accused of laundering funds for armed factions, including Muhandis, described as the economic arm of the PMF.<\/p>\n
Washington said the sanctions were aimed at dismantling networks enabling armed groups to operate inside and outside Iraq, effectively constraining Iran\u2019s regional footprint.<\/p>\n
As Iraq moves towards national elections, the diplomatic chill is likely to deepen. Hegseth\u2019s \u201cfinal notice\u201d is being interpreted in Baghdad as both a warning and a signal \u2014 that US tolerance for Tehran\u2019s proxies has expired.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a dangerous balancing act,\u201d al-Shammari warned. \u201cBaghdad must navigate between American demands and Iranian leverage without collapsing either relationship. For now, one misstep could trigger a military escalation that neither side truly wants.\u201d<\/p>\n
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