Hossam al-Husseini, a member of the Hikma Movement’s Political Bureau, speaks during an interview on Dijlah TV.
Hikma official: US has not rejected militia factions joining next Iraqi government
BAGHDAD — A senior figure in Ammar al-Hakim’s Hikma Movement said the United States has not issued any formal or informal position rejecting the participation of militia-linked factions in Iraq’s next government, while acknowledging that Washington remains concerned about the direction of the incoming cabinet.
Speaking to Dijlah TV, Hossam al-Husseini, a member of Hikma’s Political Bureau, said the Coordination Framework committee tasked with choosing a new prime minister “received 40 CVs and reviewed them all. Nine were accepted, including three individuals who were not asked to submit their priorities or vision for the next stage—namely Al-Abadi, Al-Sudani, and Al-Maliki—by virtue of their previous experience.”
Al-Husseini said “the United States has not, whether officially or unofficially, stated that it does not want the factions to participate in the next government.” Instead, he said, U.S. officials are focused on whether the next cabinet will preserve internal stability and keep Iraq out of regional and international confrontations, or become “a ‘spearhead’ in regional disputes.”
His remarks come amid heightened U.S. attention to the role of armed groups in Iraq’s political system. On Nov. 1, 2025, U.S. Special Envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya reiterated that “there is no place for armed groups operating outside the authority of the state,” warning that Iraq’s sovereignty and progress “will remain at risk” unless all security forces fall under government command.
Some excerpts from Al-Husseini’s interview on Dijlah TV:
“The committee formed within the Coordination Framework to select the Prime Minister received 40 CVs and reviewed them all. Nine were accepted, including three individuals who were not asked to submit their priorities or vision for the next stage—namely Al-Abadi, Al-Sudani, and Al-Maliki—by virtue of their previous experience.
The United States has not, whether officially or unofficially, stated that it does not want the factions to participate in the next government. However, it has expressed concern about the shape of the coming government: Will it be a government that reflects the stability achieved in Iraq and keeps the country away from regional and international conflicts? Or will it serve as a ‘spearhead’ in regional disputes?
The next Prime Minister will not govern Iraq ‘alone’; rather, he will share that authority with the existing political forces.”