Based on an analysis of (557) X / Twitter posts trending on December 29, 2024, Miqrab AI found that online discourse in Iraq was dominated by a furious backlash against perceived insults and hatred from Gulf countries following a football match with Saudi Arabia. A second major theme involved renewed political debate over the legacy of Saddam Hussein, sparked by his daughter publishing his alleged prison diaries, which drew sharp condemnation and ridicule from his critics. Domestically, discussions focused on the perceived influence of powerful militia leaders over state institutions, growing economic anxiety over delayed government salaries, and a major policy shift with the official closure of the Central Bank’s controversial 20-year-old currency auction.

Today’s Top 10 X (Twitter) Trends in Iraq:

1. Salih al-Iraqi Posts Image of Muqtada al-Sadr

A post by Salih Muhammad al-Iraqi, a key figure associated with Muqtada al-Sadr, received the highest engagement of the day. The post by Wazir Al-Qa’id – Salih Muhammad al-Iraqi (Post Impact: 100%) contained no text, consisting solely of a photograph of Sadrist movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr. Despite its simplicity, the image generated significant attention and discussion, highlighting the continued influence of the Sadrist movement and the intense public monitoring of its political communications.

2. Outrage Over Post-Match Insults from Gulf Accounts

A wave of anger swept across Iraqi social media following the Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia football match in the Gulf Cup. Accounts like Omar Al-Janabi (Post Impact: 91%) and Bahaa khaleel (Post Impact: 67%) condemned what they described as an “unjustified” and widespread campaign of insults and hatred against Iraqis from Gulf media, personalities, and social media users. Mustafa Al-DULAIMI (Post Impact: 55%) argued that the volume of insults reveals a deep-seated animosity that extends beyond football. The backlash led to widespread calls for Iraq to withdraw from the tournament, with Bahaa Khaleel promoting the hashtag #انسحاب_العراق_من_كأس_الخليج (Iraq’s withdrawal from the Gulf Cup).

3. Raghad Saddam Hussein’s Post Ignites Controversy

Raghad Saddam Hussein’s official account, Raghad Saddam Hussein (Post Impact: 53%), published excerpts from what she claimed were the daily diaries written by her father, former president Saddam Hussein, while he was in prison awaiting execution. The post sparked a strong backlash from critics of the former regime. ALshabandr (Post Impact: 77%) responded by sharing a photo of Saddam’s capture and questioning why the memoirs did not address the moment “the strongman surrendered like a humiliated person and did not fight to defend his dignity.” Similarly, Abu Drandesh Alaskree (Post Impact: 8%) referred to him as the “most cowardly president in the world.”

4. Militia Leader Claims 700k Army Ready to Attack Israel

Statements made by Wathiq al-Battat, the leader of the Mukhtar Army militia, were widely circulated, prompting ridicule. In a television interview shared by accounts such as Hussam Alhaj (Post Impact: 44%) and Shaho Al-Qaradaghi (Post Impact: 7%), al-Battat claimed to command an army of 700,000 fighters who are prepared to “drown Israel in (urine and spit),” but alleged that Iran is preventing them from acting. The claims were met with widespread disbelief, with Yasser Eljuboori – ياسر الجبوري (Post Impact: 9%) sarcastically asking about the source of funding for such a large force.

5. Syrian Leader al-Jolani’s Rejection of Sectarianism Noted

Recent interviews with Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), the de facto leader in Syria, have drawn significant attention in Iraq. Ahmed Al-thawaq (Post Impact: 25%) highlighted al-Sharaa’s comments about not distributing ministries as gifts to other components, interpreting it as a direct critique of Iraq’s sectarian power-sharing system. Shaho Al-Qaradaghi (Post Impact: 7%) quoted al-Sharaa telling Al Arabiya Al Hadath that he plans to dissolve Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, stating, “a state cannot be run with the mentality of factions.” Meanwhile, other accounts like Sufian Samarrai (Post Impact: 26%) focused on al-Sharaa’s alleged role in assassinating fellow jihadist leader Abu Maria al-Qahtani.

6. Meeting Between State Leaders and Khazali Raises Questions

A photo of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani and the Head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zidan, meeting with Qais Khazali, the leader of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq militia, was widely circulated and criticized. Commentators like Omar Al-Janabi (Post Impact: 18%) sarcastically noted that in Iraq, “the leader of an armed faction loyal to another country mediates between the prime minister and the head of the judiciary.” Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 16%) described Al Sudani’s move as going “From bin Salman’s tent… To Khazali’s tent.” In contrast, pro-government accounts like Dr. Haider Al-Barzanji (Post Impact: 11%) portrayed the meeting as a gathering of “Iraq’s leaders” in the “tent of the homeland.”

7. Concerns Grow Over Delayed Government Salaries

Several accounts raised alarms about a potential financial crisis in Iraq due to the government’s failure to pay public sector salaries at the end of the month. Omar Abdul Sattar Mahmoud (Post Impact: 21%) claimed that salaries for most ministries were postponed due to a “lack of funding and liquidity,” suggesting a situation where change has broad popular support. Zainab Rabee (Post Impact: 5%) also questioned the delay, asking, “Where are the employees’ salaries and the grants for journalists, artists, and writers as we are at the end of the year and people are waiting for some joy?”

8. Iraq Officially Ends 20-Year-Old Currency Auction

A significant economic policy change was announced as Iraq officially closed its controversial currency auction after two decades. Hayder (Post Impact: 19%) explained that the auction, which began in 2003 to provide hard currency for imports, had become one of the country’s largest sources of corruption, involving fake import bills and currency smuggling. The post outlined that the new system will require traders to deposit dinars in Iraqi banks partnered with foreign correspondent banks, which will handle compliance procedures. The Central Bank of Iraq’s role will now shift to reinforcing the dollar balances of these compliant banks.

9. Security Forces Announce Arrest of Speicher Massacre Suspect

The Iraqi government’s Security Media Cell announced a key arrest related to one of the country’s most infamous atrocities. In a statement shared by the official Security Media Cell (Post Impact: 5%) account, it was confirmed that the Iraqi National Intelligence Service had captured a terrorist involved in the 2014 Speicher Massacre in a “qualitative operation” outside Iraq’s borders. The news was also shared by accounts like Abu Drandesh Alaskree (Post Impact: 7%). The official statement vowed that security forces would continue to pursue all perpetrators of the crime until they face justice.

10. New Projects in Anbar Amidst Debate on Government Performance

The development of infrastructure projects sparked discussion about government achievements. Bangen Rekani (Post Impact: 19%), the Minister of Construction and Housing, announced the opening of three major projects in Anbar province, including a bridge and a water project. In a related but contrasting vein, Dr. Hussein Al-Safi (Post Impact: 20%) shared a picture of a new hospital in Baghdad, praising the current leadership and contrasting it with the “poverty and wars” of the Ba’athist era. This prompted criticism from others like Mustafa Al-DULAIMI (Post Impact: 6%), who questioned why basic services like hospitals and roads are being hailed as major accomplishments.