Iraq appoints Nofal Abu Raghif to lead CMC

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani appointed Nofal Abu Raghif as the new head of the Executive Bureau of the Communications and Media Commission (CMC).

Abu Raghif, a prominent member and spokesperson for the Al-Hikma (Wisdom) Movement, brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as the senior deputy minister at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, where he held various positions since 2003, following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

This appointment comes as part of a broader political reshuffle. In February, sources revealed that the Al-Hikma Movement, led by Ammar Al-Hakim, was poised to secure several key positions within the federal government under Al-Sudani’s leadership. The CMC was among the posts specifically allocated to the movement, seen as a gesture of goodwill from the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) and the State Administration Coalition (SAC) to Al-Hakim.

The move follows the recent termination of Ali Al-Moayyed’s tenure, which was part of an effort to ease rising tensions between Al-Hakim and the government. Al-Hakim had previously announced his boycott of CF and SAC meetings in protest over the Prime Minister’s acceptance of Al-Moayyed’s resignation, as well as the dismissal of the governor of Dhi Qar and threats against the governor of Najaf.

To resolve the standoff, a private meeting was held on February 6, which led to several key appointments for Al-Hikma Movement members.