Iraq’s diplomatic corps faces a potential international credibility crisis after approving a list of ambassadorial appointments that allegedly includes relatives of senior officials, political loyalists and figures linked to armed groups under sanctions.
The 93 appointments were intended to revive Iraq’s global representation after years of paralysis. Instead, they unveiled a pattern of nepotism and political quota-trading, exposing how alleged breaches of law and constitution can occur without consequence.
The National spoke to diplomats, politicians and members of parliament who expressed frustration at the process, worrying that host countries could quietly delay or reject accreditation for envoys allegedly tied to corruption or sanctioned factions.
“The list came as a shock to observers and everyone involved in diplomacy in Iraq,” said one diplomat, describing the uproar that followed the new round of ambassadorial appointments, the first in more than a decade.
Diplomats and several members of parliament claim that the appointments effectively hand control of parts of Iraq’s diplomatic network to political parties and armed groups, some of which are on US sanctions or terrorism lists.
Many of the appointed envoys are also linked to pro-Iran factions, raising fears that Iraq’s diplomacy abroad could increasingly align with Tehran’s positions at a sensitive time, as Iran faces pressure over nuclear issues and renewed sanctions.
Among the new envoys are Qais Al Amiri, brother-in-law of Popular Mobilisation Forces chief and US-sanctioned Faleh Al Fayyad, and Rahman Al Amiri, a relative of Hadi Al Amiri, leader of the Iran-backed Badr Organisation.
Also named is Laith Al Athari, spokesman for US-sanctioned Asaib Ahl Al Haq, and several figures once linked to Sarayaa Al Salam, the armed wing of the Sadrist movement, which has been heavily involved in Iraq's bloody civil war.
“We were hoping for a new Iraq – a country projecting the image of a reborn state,” the diplomat explained. “Instead, this is a disaster. We will be projecting an image of corruption and nepotism, not only inside Iraq but across the world.”
Procedure ignored
For years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs avoided naming new envoys because it could not balance the demands of Iraq’s competing political blocs. The last major batch of ambassadors, about 40 figures, mostly respected career diplomats, was appointed around 2010.
Since then, successive governments have extended the terms of ageing diplomats or left key posts vacant to avoid political friction. When the ministry reached a breaking point, political parties stepped in, according to people familiar with the process.
By law, 75 per cent of new nominees should come from within the ministry, and political parties can nominate up to 25 per cent. But according to diplomatic sources, the final list broke that balance, with roughly 45 per cent drawn from parties and only 55 per cent from the ministry.
Even the ministry’s internal selection process was allegedly tainted, as many of the 500 candidates were not approached for qualifications and interviews.
Once the list reached parliament, procedure was again ignored. Usually, a few days must pass after an item is placed on the agenda before it is voted on. But, according to several MPs, it was decided to push it through "suddenly", despite protests from members who left the room to break the quorum.
Lawmakers said they were asked to vote without seeing the nominees’ CVs, while veteran diplomats complained that years of service and training had been overlooked.
Haider Al Salami, who sits in the parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, said political considerations took precedence over merit. [
“The selection process ignored competition among qualified candidates, including those from the diplomatic corps,” Mr Al Salami told The National. Three members of the parliamentary committee who sat on a panel established by the cabinet to review the names of the candidates “had their roles marginalised,” he added.
“Ultimately, the decision was made by the leaders of the political parties, who decided who would be appointed and who wouldn't,” explained the MP.
Several lawmakers and Foreign Ministry employees filed lawsuits with the Supreme Court after the August vote, arguing that the appointments were unconstitutional. Yet before the court could rule, the presidency approved the list, the new ambassadors were sworn in, and the court later dismissed all the challenges, ruling that the matter did not affect the national interest.
President Abdul Latif Rashid, who oversaw the swearing-in ceremony on September 10, urged the ambassadors to “defend Iraq’s interests abroad with integrity and honour”. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the selection process was “rigorous” and aimed to “project Iraq’s stability and openness to the world”.
Iraq's Foreign Ministry declined to comment after The National approached it for comment.
Biased process
Iraq’s modern political history is known to be riddled with corruption and nepotism that became entrenched during decades of mismanagement.
After the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and Iraq’s subsequent diplomatic isolation, state institutions were reportedly built around loyalty to Saddam Hussein rather than competence. His removal in 2003 did not dismantle this system; it simply decentralised it. Instead of one family’s dominance, Iraq became ruled by militia-linked parties, each carving up state resources for their networks.
Post-2003 governments promised transparency but delivered little. Billions of dollars in oil revenue vanished through ghost employees, rigged tenders and kickback schemes. Public sector jobs were widely seen as becoming a currency of political favour, not merit. Each ministry allegedly turned into the domain of the party controlling it, making governance a spoils system.
International watchdogs routinely rank Iraq, an oil-rich country, among the most corrupt countries in the world, with Transparency International placing it near the bottom of global indexes for years.
Meanwhile, alleged nepotism has hollowed out institutions, driven young professionals abroad and left public services in decay. Iraq’s infrastructure, from hospitals to power grids, crumbles while the elite builds fortunes abroad.
Attempts at reform are reportedly short-lived, as entrenched interests block any move that threatens their control. For many Iraqis, corruption is not a distant political issue; it’s the lived reality of watching unqualified relatives of politicians run ministries into the ground.
Mr Al Salami confirmed that about half of the appointments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "were made from outside the diplomatic corps, which is a quota for political parties, as if the ambassador represents the party rather than Iraq".
He expressed concerns about the qualifications and backgrounds of some appointees, including those with criminal records and terrorism charges and covered by the recent amnesty law.
A letter from the Interior Ministry to the Cabinet, reportedly mentioning six or seven individuals with criminal records, was also ignored by the government committee. Even within the government committee, which was chaired by one of the candidates, there were objections, but the “will of political parties prevailed", he said.
The interview process was also criticised for being biased, with only certain individuals being invited to participate. “They just interviewed some of them whom they wanted to be appointed,” said the MP.
Government allies argue that the scale of the reshuffle inevitably required some political balancing, and that many of the appointees are qualified professionals. But even officials within the ministry are said to acknowledge the damage to credibility.
Parliament is now preparing amendments to the Foreign Service Law to restrict ambassadorial nominations to career diplomats, scrapping the 25 per cent quota reserved for political nominees. But passing such a bill would require the same political blocs that benefit from the system to vote against their own privileges.
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
The Greatest Royal Rumble card
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The%20Roundup
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Read more about the coronavirus
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
