Iran has granted its field commanders increased autonomy over militia groups operating in Iraq, allowing some factions to carry out operations without seeking prior approval from Tehran, according to five officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The shift toward decentralized command structure affects hard-line Iran-backed militias that are funded through Iraq's state budget and embedded within the country's security apparatus. Many of these groups operate as part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-sanctioned organization created in 2014 to combat the Islamic State.

A senior Iraqi Kurdish government official said an Iranian delegation visited Iraq's Kurdish region and informed authorities that regional Iranian commanders now had devolved authority, warning that Tehran had limited ability to control militia actions near U.S. military bases and diplomatic missions. The change reflects lessons learned from previous conflicts, with operations previously being more tightly centralized.

The decentralized approach has created challenges for Iraq's government, led by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, which faces pressure from the United States to rein in the groups. Last week, Iraq's ambassador to the U.S. was summoned to Washington, where officials demanded the Iraqi government take measures to dismantle Iran-aligned militia groups.

On Friday, the United States imposed sanctions on seven commanders and senior members of four Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups. Despite government efforts to institutionalize the Popular Mobilization Forces and occasionally remove commanders who act outside state authority, these measures have met significant resistance from militia groups.

A spokesperson for Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, one of the Iran-backed groups, acknowledged coordination with Iran while emphasizing the group's claim to operate within Iraq's legal framework. The situation highlights the complex relationship between Iraqi state institutions and Iran-aligned factions that helped bring the current government to power.