Miqrab AI analyzed a total of 468 Facebook posts trending in Iraq on March 19, 2025, to identify the most prominent conversations and narratives. The highest engagement was driven by a video from media personality Aziz Nasser, urging citizens to protect public property by reporting exploitation to the authorities. Another significant trend was the debate surrounding the Iraq vs. Kuwait football match coinciding with the religious commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Ali, with official bodies in Basra banning celebrations. Security issues also featured prominently, particularly the killing of a police officer during a clash in Diwaniya. Other key topics included a statement from Muqtada al-Sadr on the X platform, political unrest in Turkey, and official government announcements regarding security on the Syrian border and developments in the electricity sector.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Aziz Nasser’s call to protect public property

A video by media personality Aziz Nasser has garnered massive engagement, urging Iraqis to protect public spaces and rights from exploitation. The page Aziz Nasser (Post Impact: 100%) shared the message, telling followers, “Do not allow anyone to exploit you and exploit public property.” The post encourages citizens to take the simple step of making a free call to the emergency number 911 to report any such violations and prevent their rights from being exploited.

2. Controversy over Iraq-Kuwait match during religious observance

A major topic of discussion is the decision by the Security Committee in the Basra Provincial Council to ban celebrations following the football match between Iraq and Kuwait. The page Al-Khawa Al-Nadheefa (Post Impact: 10%) reports this decision was made out of “appreciation and respect for the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Ali (peace be upon him).” Meanwhile, the Baghdad page (Post Impact: 8%) circulated a statement attributed to Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, the representative of the religious authority in Najaf, who stated that people could celebrate but must “stay away from forbidden things.” On a related note, Al-Khawa Al-Nadheefa (Post Impact: 7%) also shared a statement from the head of the Kuwaiti Football Federation praising Iraq’s hospitality and the cancellation of visas for Kuwaiti fans.

3. Police officer killed in Diwaniya clash

Several pages reported on a deadly clash in Diwaniya where a police officer was killed and two others were injured. According to Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 5%), citing Diwaniya Police media, a police force was executing an arrest warrant when they came under fire, leading to the death of officer Ali Muhammad Mohsen. The statement added that six suspects were arrested shortly after the incident with firearms in their possession. The page Al-Khawa Al-Nadheefa (Post Impact: 5%) and Support for Iraqi Security Forces (Post Impact: 3%) also reported on the officer’s death, with the latter identifying the clash as being with drug dealers.

4. Muqtada al-Sadr posts a message on social media

Influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr published a post on his personal account on the social media platform “X.” The page The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 16%) and Hakem Al-Zamili (Post Impact: 1%) both shared an image of the post without detailing its specific content. The high engagement on the announcement indicates significant interest in al-Sadr’s statements among his followers and the general public.

5. Unrest and protests reported in Turkey

Iraqi Facebook pages are closely following events in Turkey, reporting on significant political and economic turmoil. Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 2%) detailed the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Akrem İmamoğlu, the fall of the Turkish lira, and the government’s suspension of access to social media sites. The page Nineveh (Post Impact: 1%) described a “human flood” in Turkish cities demanding the downfall of President Erdoğan. Ahmed Althawaq (Post Impact: 5%) used the events to criticize Iraqi activists and media figures who claim to be secular, accusing them of being disguised Muslim Brotherhood supporters if they fail to report on the protests and the collapse of the lira.

6. End of winter and arrival of spring announced

Meteorological news captured social media attention as pages announced the official end of the winter season. Telescop Iraq (Post Impact: 4%) stated that winter would end “officially… after a few hours” and that spring would begin the next day. However, the page also forecast a “coming cold wave” that would last for three days. The page Min Al-Iraq (Post Impact: 2%) also shared the news about Iraq saying goodbye to winter and welcoming spring.

7. Joint Operations Command denies border incidents

Iraq’s Joint Operations Command issued a statement denying rumors of security breaches on the Iraqi-Syrian border. The page Al Hadath Iraq (Post Impact: 2%) quoted the command as stating, “There is no infiltration or clash along the Iraqi-Syrian border.” The statement, also shared by Min Al-Iraq (Post Impact: 2%), affirmed that security forces are firmly in control of the border, reinforced with sufficient reserves and advanced technical surveillance resources.

8. Communications Minister on transit project challenges

The Minister of Communications discussed the reasons behind the targeting of the national transit project. Official government pages, including Iraqi Ministry of Communications (Post Impact: 4%) and Media of the Ministry of Communications (Post Impact: 1%), shared a video where the minister “reveals the real reason behind the targeting of the transit project.” The posts did not provide further details from the minister’s statement in the text.

9. Commemorations for the martyrdom of Imam Ali

Alongside the controversy over the football match, pages also focused on the religious commemorations for the martyrdom of Imam Ali. The page of Baqir Jabr Al-Zubaidi (Post Impact: 2%) posted a tribute on the eve of the 19th of Ramadan. Additionally, Khabar Ajel (Post Impact: 1%) reported that the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf was hosting thousands of mourners, with feelings of sadness filling the place under the banner of “The pillars of guidance have been demolished.”

10. US reported to have issued an ultimatum to Iran

Reports of a US ultimatum to Iran over its nuclear program circulated on Iraqi social media. Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 1%), citing the website Axios, stated that US President Donald Trump sent a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, giving a two-month deadline for a new nuclear deal before facing military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Similarly, Al-Adhamiya News (Post Impact: 1%), citing CNN, reported on the “possibility of military action by the United States or Israel on Iran’s nuclear facilities.”