The conflict between the United States and Iran is causing new problems for the Iranian-backed armed Shiite factions in Iraq. But cracking down on the militias might harm Washington’s interests in Baghdad and spark a crisis between the Iraqi government and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).

While Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is trying to strike a balance to tame armed Shiite factions and earn US support, Iran hawks in Washington are seeking to add armed factions affiliated with the PMU to the list of terrorist organizations.

In the US House of Representatives, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, introduced a bill in early November called “Iranian Proxies Terrorist Sanctions Act of 2017” that calls for imposing terrorism-related sanctions on Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and Asaib Ahl al-Haq. The bill, which has only attracted five cosponsors to date, was referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Nov. 3.

Before Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba was formed in 2013, the United States designated its leader Akram al-Kaabi as a terrorist in 2008 per Executive Order No. 13438, on the grounds of “causing chaos in Iraq and threatening the stability and security of the alliance forces which were in Iraq before retreating completely in 2011.”