CENTCOM Chief: Iran-Aligned Militias Send Pay to IRGC

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) said armed groups in the region, including militias in Iraq, have begun transferring money to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to ease the economic pressure Iran has faced after nine months of war. Adm. Brad Cooper made the remarks in a video message published on CENTCOM’s account on X.

Cooper said the financial strain on Iran’s military has become severe. “The financial strain on Iran’s military has become so significant that there are reports of Iran-aligned militia groups across the region withholding payments to their soldiers in order to funnel money back to the IRGC, which also is not paying its troops,” he said.

He added that the economic pain was visible. “The Islamic regime is clearly feeling the economic pain, and the IRGC is increasingly showing signs of greater desperation as a result,” he said.

Cooper said Iran’s government is withholding salaries, pensions, and benefits from workers in industries such as oil and energy, manufacturing, construction, and security, as well as from the IRGC itself.

Cooper recalled the major combat operations the US conducted earlier this year under Epic Fury. “We sank Iran’s Navy, we destroyed its weapons factories, and we curtailed the IRGC’s ability to launch ballistic missiles and drones,” he said. He described the operation as a “highly successful 38-day campaign.”

Since then, he said, more than 50,000 US service members deployed to the Middle East have stood with regional partners to defend against Iranian attacks, cleared the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mines, protected commercial shipping, and twice established a naval blockade that remains in place. Apart from the humanitarian assistance allowed in, he said, Iran has no exports and no imports by sea.

According to Cooper, CENTCOM, working closely with US interagency partners, has delivered severe blows to the IRGC and what he called the Islamic regime in three areas: oil exports, digital financing, and payroll for security forces.

He said the US has so far prevented Iran from exporting at least $25 billion worth of crude oil. “This is billions of dollars that would have been used by the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism to finance proxy militias, criminal networks, and attacks against Americans and our allies,” he said.

Cooper added that CENTCOM supported US interagency partners in freezing nearly $350 million in digital cryptocurrency assets, which he said further limits Iran’s ability to fund terrorism or replace the weapons and factories that were destroyed.

Cooper said the IRGC has continually attacked merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, in many cases killing civilian mariners. He cited the International Maritime Organization as reporting that more than 20 civilian mariners have been killed in Iranian attacks on commercial shipping since February.

Despite those attacks, he said, commercial vessels continue to move through the strait as the US works with regional allies and shipping industry partners to strengthen protection. “Let me be clear: the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran, and it remains open for business,” he said.

He said about 400 merchant ships have sailed through the strait over the past seven days. US forces also helped Gulf partners ship more than 100 million barrels of crude oil during the same period, he said, adding to the more than 1.3 billion barrels shipped with US help in recent months.

Cooper closed by thanking US troops for their work. “None of this would be possible without the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of America’s men and women in uniform who continue to do tremendous work each and every day,” he said, adding: “To all our service members: stay focused, keep up the great work, thanks so much.”