Iraq reverses controversial terrorism listing for Hezbollah, Houthis
Baghdad retracts Gazette decision after political uproar and accusations of US pressure over asset-freeze order
BAGHDAD, Iraq (MNTV) – Iraq has withdrawn a decision that designated Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi movement as terrorist organizations, days after the classification appeared in the Iraqi Gazette and triggered fierce backlash from political blocs aligned with Iran-backed armed groups.
The original listing, included in issue No. 4848 of the Gazette and shared by MP Mustafa Sanad, revealed that the Committee for the Freezing of Terrorists’ Assets had issued Decision No. 61, placing both groups on Iraq’s terrorism register and ordering an immediate freeze of their financial assets.
Because Gazette publications carry legal force, the move generated swift outrage across Baghdad’s political establishment, according to The New Arab news.
On Thursday, however, the committee declared that the published version had been released “without revision” and would be corrected.
According to a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency, the list was compiled under UN Security Council obligations and at Malaysia’s request, and included names and entities that “had no link to terrorist activity.”
Officials said the problematic entries would be removed once an amended edition is printed. The explanation has not persuaded actors close to Iran-aligned factions.
Uday al-Khadran of the Coordination Framework argued that the designation was imposed due to “American pressure and threats,” dismissing claims of clerical error and warning that such steps could pave the way for domestic groups to be labelled next. He insisted decisions of this nature “are not made accidentally.”
Mujashaa al-Tamimi, an activist linked to the Sadrist movement, said Iraq’s dependence on dollar-based transactions effectively compels it to follow US Treasury classifications.
He pointed to previous cases in which Baghdad altered its sanctions lists after Washington made changes, including the delisting of Muammar Gaddafi’s son.
A government adviser, speaking anonymously, described the initial listing as an unavoidable financial measure driven by external pressure, stressing that it “will not have political consequences.”
The reversal has intensified debate among analysts and commentators, especially those close to Shia factions, who accuse the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani of capitulating to US demands targeting groups within the so-called “axis of resistance.”
MP Sanad criticized the government in a social media post, accusing it of “shamefully” labeling the Houthis and Hezbollah as terrorists while simultaneously nominating former US President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
A political source linked to a major armed faction told Al Araby Al Jadeed that the initial decision was issued about a month ago with the involvement of several state bodies, including the Federal Supreme Court.
He described the measure as “primarily economic,” saying similar designations in past years had not harmed armed factions inside or outside Iraq.
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