Iraqi National Security Advisor Confirms: The Popular Mobilization Forces Are an Essential Part and We Will Not Allow Their Dissolution

In controversial statements, Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji announced on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, that the National Security Advisory has proposed postponing the vote on the Popular Mobilization Forces Law until after the upcoming parliamentary elections, without revealing the exact reasons behind this decision.

Al-Araji said in a television interview: "We requested to postpone the law until after the elections, and do not ask me about the reason," indicating that the law needs "internal and external marketing" before proceeding with the vote on it.

The National Security Advisor confirmed that the Iraqi government will not allow any party, whether a friend or otherwise, to propose the idea of dissolving the Popular Mobilization Forces, explaining that the Popular Mobilization Forces are an essential part of the security system in Iraq.

This comes amid rising controversy over the service and retirement law for the Popular Mobilization Forces, which stipulates treating its members equally with members of the Iraqi armed forces in terms of salaries and entitlements, pushing the issue from merely a legislative draft to a political crisis threatening to ignite tensions with Washington.

In a related context, this development coincides with electoral movements involving the most prominent alliances of Iraqi parties, with a notable presence of the Prime Minister and the Popular Mobilization Forces leader in the electoral scene.