ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Two US congressmen have launched a legislative initiative to put an end to Iran’s “malign” influence on Iraq, proposing a "bipartisan bill" seeking the dismantling of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and designating nearly a dozen factions as "terrorist organizations."

The proposed Free Iraq From Iran Act prepared by Republican Joe Wilson and Democratic Jimmy Panetta seeks to “dismantle all Iran-backed puppet militias in Iraq, including but not limited to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and end Iran’s dominance of Iraq’s political system.”

According to the text, the PMF and other groups should be dismantled and lose their affiliation with the Ministry of Defence, emphasizing that they cannot  be allowed to have any “direct or indirect control of Iraqi government ministries."

The Act reads that unless the Iran-backed militias are dismantled, the US will cut security assistance to Iraq.

The bill calls on the Secretary of Treasury to issue a report “no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act” listing Iran’s “puppets” in Iraq, including high-ranking individuals and government entities, and sanction them.

The list includes Iraq’s former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Al-Rafidain Bank, the State Organization for Marketing of Oil in Iraq, Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji, Military Chief of Staff Abdul Amir Yarallah, and Iraqi Federal Supreme Court President Jassim Abboud.

The bills also demand that the  US Secretary of State designate as a foreign terrorist organization ten militia groups, most notably the Badr Organization and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba.

The PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi, was formed upon a call by Iraq’s top Shiite authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, soon after the Islamic State (ISIS) took over large swathes of territory in Iraq. The force has been officially incorporated into the regular Iraqi defense forces, enjoying similar privileges as the Iraqi army.

The PMF played a decisive role in the fight against ISIS, cementing its influence in the country’s security and political landscape.

Two Iraqi lawmakers earlier this week dismissed reports that the United States is pushing to dissolve the PMF, following claims that US President Donald Trump included such a request in a message to Iran’s supreme leader.

However, in a televised interview Friday night, Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Muhammad Kadhim Al Sadiq, confirmed that Trump’s message to Khamenei did include a request to dissolve or merge the PMF.

“The PMF is an Iraqi institution. Iran has nothing to do with it, so we cannot negotiate with the US about it,” Sadiq said. “The US wants to dissolve or merge the PMF, but that is unacceptable to both Iraq and Iran. The PMF played a major role in defeating the Islamic State [ISIS]. Today, it is a powerful and experienced force within Iraq’s security apparatus.”

The Free Iraq from Iran Act also seeks to impose measures “prohibiting the Government of Iraq or any private entity within Iraq from importing liquefied natural gas from the Government of Iran or any private entity within Iran.”