The United States government on Wednesday designated four militia groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations for aligning with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Department of State proscribed Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN), Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA), Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA), and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).
The action is in accordance with the National Security Presidential Memorandum-2, which mandates maximum pressure on Iran to cut off its revenue and funding for proxies and partners.
The groups were previously designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists between 2019 and 2025 for targeting United States personnel and facilities.
Such incidents, according to the State Department, include the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and bases hosting American and Coalition forces.
The proscribed militia groups were discovered to have used front names or proxy fighters to conceal their involvement in a series of attacks.
The U.S. government insists Iran is “the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism,” and blames the nation for helping militias to coordinate and carry out attacks across Iraq.
The new designations followed this week’s announcement on sanctions aimed at countering the activities of Iran and its collaborators in Asia and the Middle East.
On Tuesday, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control flagged individuals and entities based in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for facilitating Iranian oil sales.
