U.S. Designates Four Iran-Aligned Militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday announced the designation of four Iran-backed militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), escalating pressure on Tehran and its network of proxies across the Middle East.

The groups newly designated are Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN), Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA), and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA). All four had previously been sanctioned as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

The State Department said the designations are part of President Donald Trump’s National Security Presidential Memorandum-2, which mandates maximum pressure on Iran. The measures block property and assets under U.S. jurisdiction, prohibit Americans from conducting business with the groups, and expose foreign entities to secondary sanctions if they engage with them.

Militias Aligned with Tehran

Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN) – Founded in 2013, HAN openly pledged allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and is a key member of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Tehran-backed militias. The group has publicly threatened U.S. bases and troops and maintains ties with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), late commander Qasem Soleimani, and former Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) – Designated as an SDGT in 2023 alongside its leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, KSS has threatened U.S. and Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. The group has received training, funding, and advanced weaponry from Iran.

Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA) – Blacklisted in 2024, HAAA and its commander Haydar Muzhir Ma’lak al-Sa’idi were linked to the deadly drone attack on Tower 22 in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers. The militia has vowed to continue targeting American interests in the region.

Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (KIA) – Designated as an SDGT in 2025, KIA has coordinated with other Iran-aligned militias in plotting attacks against U.S. military, diplomatic, and commercial facilities. Its leader, Shibl al-Zaydi, sanctioned in 2018, acted as a financial conduit between the IRGC-QF and armed factions in Iraq.

Part of a Wider Crackdown

The State Department noted that other Iran-backed militias, including Kata’ib Hizballah (KH) and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), had already been designated as FTOs in earlier years. Both have carried out deadly operations against U.S. forces and remain under heavy sanctions.

“Terrorist designations expose and isolate these groups, cutting them off from resources they need to carry out attacks,” the Department said in a statement. “The United States remains committed to countering Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and disrupting its proxies from conducting attacks against U.S. personnel and facilities.”

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

Latest News from Worthy News

Senate Again Rejects Resolution Seeking to Halt U.S. War With Iran

Thursday, July 30, 2026

The Republican-led Senate narrowly rejected another attempt Thursday to force an end to unauthorized U.S. military operations against Iran, preserving President Donald Trump’s ability to continue the campaign without a new authorization from Congress.

Record-Low Danube Threatens Hungary’s Nuclear Power Supply

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Hungary’s only nuclear power plant could be forced to shut down within days after record-low water levels on the Danube River sharply reduced its cooling capacity, raising fresh concerns over Europe’s energy security amid an intense heatwave.

Trump Says Hamas Has Agreed to Disarm, but Deep Skepticism Remains

Thursday, July 30, 2026

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Hamas has agreed to a phased process leading to the “complete disarmament” of the terrorist organization and other armed factions in the Gaza Strip, calling the reported agreement a historic step toward lasting peace.

Trump Questions Thune’s Future as Senate GOP Leader Over Stalled Election Bill

Thursday, July 30, 2026

President Donald Trump openly questioned whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune should remain in his leadership post as tensions intensified over the Senate’s failure to advance Trump’s election-integrity agenda.

U.S. Intelligence Chiefs: China’s Acquisition of American Voter Data Meets Definition of Election Interference

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Senior U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that China’s alleged acquisition of American voter-registration data falls within the government’s definition of foreign election interference, according to information released Thursday by the White House.

U.S.-Iran War Widens as Saudi Arabia Joins American Strikes on Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq

Thursday, July 30, 2026

The widening war between the United States and Iran entered a dangerous new phase Wednesday as American and Saudi forces carried out coordinated strikes against Iran-backed militias across Iraq, marking the first publicly acknowledged joint combat operation of its kind between Washington and Riyadh.

Migrants Overwhelm Spain’s Ceuta Enclave As Hundreds Swim From Morocco (Worthy News In-Depth)

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Spanish authorities warned Wednesday of an “extraordinary, exceptional situation” after hundreds of migrants swam from Morocco to the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta, overwhelming reception facilities and prompting renewed concern over migration pressures on Europe’s southern border.