Iraq pushes ahead with ambassadorial decree amid legal battle
Shafaq News – Baghdad (updated on Sep. 8 at 14:16)
On Sunday, Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid ratified the appointment of 86 new ambassadors, even as the country’s top court examines challenges to the government’s nomination process.
The presidency said Rashid signed a decree confirming the first batch of appointments, while procedures for a second group remain under review by regulatory bodies.
أصدر فخامة رئيس الجمهورية @LJRashid، اليوم الأحد 7 أيلول 2025، المرسوم الجمهوري المرقم (43) بتعيين الدفعة الأولى من السفراء البالغ عددهم (86) سفيرا وذلك لاستكمال إجراءات تعيينهم. pic.twitter.com/QNy07s4LZf
— رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) September 7, 2025
Meanwhile, the Federal Supreme Court held a hearing on lawsuits contesting the legality of the ambassadorial nominations. Lawyer Shawkat Sami al-Samarraie, representing the plaintiffs, said in a video recording that the court reviewed new documents related to the government committee that prepared the list and the cabinet’s recommendations to parliament. The case was adjourned until September 21 for further investigation.
Read more: Iraq’s ambassadorial appointments: Reform or political bargain?
Parliament approved Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s list of ambassadors on August 26, but the vote quickly drew objections. Lawmakers said they were not given access to candidates’ résumés, and several MPs petitioned the court, arguing that the session lacked the required quorum.
