ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq has yet to disburse May salaries for members of the Popular Mobilization (PMF), with lawmakers claiming the delay could be due to external pressure.

The administration and finance department of the Popular Mobilization Commission (PMC), the official government agency in charge of bringing all PMF groups under state control, said in a statement on Wednesday, June 25, that there are no financial issues relating to the salaries of the PMF fighters, and that they will be disbursed “after the completion of the usual administrative procedures.”

The salaries of PMF members are normally distributed mid-month.

Mustafa Sanad, an Iraqi MP close to the PMF, said in a statement on Thursday that the salaries have been deposited into the fighters’ electronic payment cards, but claimed that “an external interference has deactivated the cards.”

Sanad noted that the PMC’s administration and finance department is currently seeking alternative measures to resolve the issue within the coming days, “unless a new emergency arises.”

Thaer al-Jabouri, an MP of Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework, claimed that the delay is due to a “technical glitch,” but did not rule out a potential foreign interference.

“It is not unlikely that there are external or even internal pressures from political parties to stop or delay the disbursement of salaries to the PMF, as part of the targeting of the organization and its fighters,” Jabouri told The New Region on Thursday.

US Congress members have launched several initiatives in recent months to curb Iranian influence on Iraq, calling for the cessation of all security assistance to Iraq and imposition of terrorist designations on several armed factions who are part of the Iraqi state security apparatus due to their affiliation with Iran, including the PMF.

In March, US President Donald Trump addressed a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pressing Tehran for talks over the nuclear issue. The letter reportedly also included a direct request to dissolve armed groups in Iraq, specifically the PMF.

“If the salaries of PMF fighters are delayed in a mysterious manner, we will take a firm stance in the parliament and across the political spectrum,” said Jabouri, calling on relevant authorities to urgently clarify and address the situation. “We cannot remain silent or tolerate this matter, which affects the livelihood of thousands of fighters and their families.”

Since July 2023, the US has escalated pressure on Iraq’s banking sector, targeting institutions suspected of facilitating dollar transfers to Iran. Dozens of Iraqi banks have been barred from opening dollar accounts or conducting international dollar transfers accordingly.

The US move, aimed at curbing currency smuggling to Tehran and limiting financing for Iran-backed proxies, forced the sanctioned banks to operate solely within Iraq. Services like international credit card use were immediately restricted.

Reports have circulated over the past few months suggesting that the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has directed local banks to suspend the use of electronic payment cards for international transactions. The First Iraqi Bank (FIB) announced suspending international transactions in late May, without clarifying the reason.