Iraq welcomes breakthrough as 91 new ambassadors approved
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq hailed on Tuesday parliament’s approval of the long-delayed list of 91 ambassadors submitted by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, which ended more than a decade of diplomatic stagnation but sparked sharp criticism from lawmakers.
In a statement, al-Sudani described the vote as a “breakthrough” after posts had remained vacant since 2009, praising what he called a spirit of cooperation between parliament’s leadership, the Foreign Relations Committee, and political blocs. He framed the appointments as part of his reform agenda, urging the new envoys to advance Iraq’s interests abroad while serving citizens in host countries.
The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, welcomed the decision as a “step toward strengthening Iraq’s global presence.”
وزارة الخارجية ترحب بتصويت مجلس النواب على قائمة السفراء وتعدّه خطوة لتعزيز الحضور الدبلوماسي للعراق – وزارة الخارجية العراقية https://t.co/6jBoaHBY3l pic.twitter.com/obQSI6X36I
— وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) August 26, 2025
However, independent MP Amer Abdul-Jabbar told Shafaq News that Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani pushed the list through without quorum, vowing to challenge the decision in Federal Court, while denouncing the appointments as nepotistic “family allocations.”
MP Arshad al-Salihi criticized the process as rushed and “unacceptable,” stressing that members had not been provided with the nominees’ resumes.
A copy of the approved list obtained by Shafaq News included Yazan, son of politician Mishaan al-Jubouri, and Abdul Basit, son of Speaker al-Mashhadani.
