Ambassadorial nominees under the Coordination Framework’s review
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Shiite factions within Iraq’s Coordination Framework plan to hold a meeting to review the leaked lists of ambassadorial nominees, a source from the framework told Shafaq News on Thursday.
Some factions criticized the lists, arguing that many of the nominees lack qualifications and that the distribution fails to reflect the political weight of certain blocs.
The source revealed that a preliminary agreement was reached to convene a meeting to examine the names and align them with Iraq’s strategic diplomatic interests.
“Most of the lists will be amended,” he noted, adding that certain political blocs secured over 15 ambassadorial posts, while minorities—except for the Turkmen—were excluded from representation. The Turkmen, following objections, secured a single ambassadorial post, with the destination to be decided later by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The source added that the Coordination Framework will determine next week which names will be removed from the lists and whether others will be added, depending on new agreements among influential political forces. “In any case, the new ambassadors will not be approved without a vote in Parliament,” the source said.
The upcoming meeting will also address the draft oil agreement between Iraq and Turkiye, which includes a clause requiring oil exports through Turkish ports to remain above one million barrels per day. The agreement also proposes doubling non-oil exports and overall trade with Baghdad.
The source added that the meeting will explore ways to increase exports, including a proposal to build a pipeline from southern Iraq to the Kurdistan Region in the north. “The matter is still under study in Baghdad and will be thoroughly discussed during the meeting to reach a decision that serves the country’s interests.”
Since 2003, ambassadorial appointments in Iraq have repeatedly sparked controversy. Each parliamentary cycle sees renewed debate over the nominees, with many lists accused of reflecting political deals rather than professional standards.
Under Iraq’s power-sharing system, diplomatic posts—including ambassadorships—are divided among political, sectarian, and ethnic factions. Each bloc typically receives a share and nominates individuals close to its leadership, often from within the party or family circle.
Previous ambassadorial lists have drawn criticism for including individuals with no diplomatic or political experience. In some cases, appointments were handed out as political rewards. The Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Foreign Ministry have frequently raised concerns over weak qualifications and non-compliance with diplomatic criteria, but such concerns are often sidelined by political influence.
A new list reviewed by Shafaq News, though not yet confirmed by the Iraqi government, includes dozens of names for ambassadorial, mission head, and diplomatic attaché posts. Several nominees are reportedly sons or close relatives of senior political figures, some in their early thirties and lacking any professional or diplomatic background.
