Based on an analysis of 434 Facebook posts trending on October 25, 2026, Miqrab AI found that online conversations in Iraq were overwhelmingly dominated by Real Madrid’s victory over Barcelona in the El Clásico football match. Beyond sports, significant engagement centered on the anniversary of the Tishreen protests, with discussions covering the demonstrations in Baghdad, the government’s unprecedented step of sending a delegation to receive demands, and a backlash against a former official’s derogatory comments about the protesters. Other key narratives included a directive from the Prime Minister’s office to investigate the head of the Maysan Provincial Council for threatening secession, a cultural debate surrounding actress Alaa Hussein’s political alignment, and updates on regional tensions involving Iran.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Real Madrid’s El Clásico Victory Dominates Feeds

Iraqi Facebook pages widely celebrated Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Spanish league’s El Clásico match. The highest-engagement post from Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 100%) announced that Real Madrid had “struck Barcelona in its own home.” Other pages like Mohamed Nasser Khalif (Post Impact: 33%) and Hussein – IMADTech (Post Impact: 14%) shared congratulatory messages and celebratory reels for “the Royals.” The sentiment was echoed by Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 4%), who urged Real Madrid fans to tag their Barcelona-supporting friends and say “good luck next time.” In contrast, Set Ashwaq Um Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 43%) sarcastically commented on the excitement, noting it was the “first joy in two years for our dear Madradis.”

2. Tishreen Uprising Anniversary Commemorated with Protests

Multiple pages covered the demonstrations held in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square to mark the seventh anniversary of the Tishreen uprising. Ahmed AlHamdani (Post Impact: 16%) shared a video from the square showing crowds gathered for the event. Ahmed Al-Washah (Post Impact: 19%) thanked the “free youth of Iraq,” the organizing committees for maintaining order, and the security forces for providing protection. Activist Muntazer Al-Zaidi (Post Impact: 13%) pushed back against criticism that the demonstrations failed, stating that protesters gave the government a one-month grace period to implement their demands. Meanwhile, Set Ashwaq Um Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 38%) questioned the focus on football, writing, “Are you serious, what football are you watching? Iraq has demonstrations today, the dollar is rising, and tomatoes are 2000 dinars.”

3. PM Orders Probe into Maysan Council Head over Threats

Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi has directed an investigation into the head of the Maysan Provincial Council, Mustafa Dueir, following threatening statements. As reported by Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 16%) and the Iraqi PM’s Media Office (Post Impact: 11%), Dueir threatened to “declare a state of disobedience” if the al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran was not reopened. The Prime Minister’s Office statement condemned his use of “inappropriate language” and stressed the need to adhere to legal and constitutional contexts. Maraya (Post Impact: 2%) detailed that Dueir had threatened to completely separate the province from Iraq if the demand wasn’t met within three days, citing the livelihood of 4,000 citizens dependent on the crossing.

4. Government Delegation Receives Protesters’ Demands

In what was described as an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi’s office dispatched a delegation to Tahrir Square to officially receive the demands of the Tishreen demonstrators. Ahmed Al-Washah (Post Impact: 19%) confirmed that protesters’ demands were handed over to the delegation. Khabar Ajeal (Post Impact: 2%) noted this was the first time a government had sent a delegation to the square to hear from Tishreen protesters. According to Yalla (Post Impact: 3%), the protesters, who gave the government a one-month deadline, focused on demands such as holding corrupt officials accountable and ensuring all weapons are under state control. The Security Media Cell (Post Impact: 2%) released a statement from the Prime Minister thanking the peaceful protesters and confirming he had received their demands and would work to achieve them.

5. Debate Erupts over Actress Alaa Hussein’s Political Alignment

A heated debate has emerged online regarding the political stances of veteran Iraqi actress Alaa Hussein. Writer Ali Wajeeh (Post Impact: 14%) defended her, praising her history in “serious theater” and her support for the Tishreen movement, arguing her recent perceived alignment with Iran is consistent with her long-standing “ethical positions.” Conversely, Dr. Ali Alkaissi (Post Impact: 11%) questioned whether Iraqi artists who adopt the “Iranian narrative” do so out of “changing convictions or for personal interests.” He also shared a circulating image of an old interview allegedly showing Hussein dedicating a play to Saddam Hussein. The page Shaar Banat (Post Impact: 9%) shared a “statement of solidarity” with the actress.

6. PM Al-Zaidi Meets with South African Defense Minister

Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi held a high-level meeting with the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Republic of South Africa, Engie Motshekga. The Iraqi PM’s Media Office (Post Impact: 5%) reported that the Prime Minister received a written message from the South African President regarding opportunities for cooperation in the fields of oil, energy, and defense industries. In a related video post, the Iraqi PM’s Media Office (Post Impact: 29%) highlighted Al-Zaidi’s call for South African companies to invest in Iraq and localize industries. Separately, Yahya Rasool (Post Impact: 2%), spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, shared a video of the Iraqi Minister of Defense, Nayef Al-Shammari, meeting with his South African counterpart to discuss prospects for military cooperation.

7. Outrage Over Official’s ‘Garbage’ Comment on Protesters

Posts on social media expressed anger over a comment made by retired Major General Abdul Karim Khalaf regarding the Tishreen protesters. The page Min Baghdad (Post Impact: 6%) reported that Khalaf sparked outrage by stating that Umma Garden and Tahrir Square had been “cleaned of garbage,” in an apparent reference to the demonstrators. Taraif al-Alam bi-Uyun Iraqiya (Post Impact: 3%) also shared the comment, attributing it to Khalaf and framing it as him praising the Baghdad Municipality’s “beautiful work.” This was widely interpreted as a derogatory remark aimed at those commemorating the Tishreen uprising.

8. Analysts Criticize Government’s Economic Policies

Commentators offered sharp critiques of Iraq’s economic management and policies. Dr. Yahya Alkubisi (Post Impact: 10%) criticized what he described as contradictory government actions, such as appointing 620,000 “surplus” employees while also legislating long-term paid leave, questioning how this contributes to state-building. In a separate analysis, former minister Baqer Jabr Al-Zubaidi (Post Impact: 2%) argued that Iraq’s core economic crisis is its reliance on imports, estimated at nearly $70 billion annually. He stated that the only solution is to revive the national product by supporting Iraqi industry and agriculture to stop the “bleeding” of the country’s finances.

9. Regional Tensions Involving Iran Highlighted

Several pages reported on escalating regional tensions centered on Iran. Al-Khaleia Al-Taktikiya (Post Impact: 5%) shared a report from Iran’s Fars News Agency in which Iran warned Germany that its military facilities in the region would become targets if it participated in any military action against Tehran. In another post, the same page noted the presence of US Central Command’s commander in the Strait of Hormuz overseeing the protection of commercial vessels from Iranian attacks. Concurrently, Al-Adhamiya News (Post Impact: 3%) quoted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as saying, “We will strike Iran again.” These tensions were also reflected in domestic protests, with Ahmed Al-Washah (Post Impact: 11%) posting a video of demonstrators chanting, “Iran, gather your dogs, this nation does not fear you.”

10. Stories of Alleged Medical Malpractice Circulate

Accounts of alleged medical negligence leading to severe harm or death have been circulating on Facebook, raising concerns about the healthcare system. Yalla (Post Impact: 3%) shared the story of a young man who claims his leg was amputated after a cleaning worker at Al-Zaafaraniyah Hospital improperly set his broken bone. The man alleges he waited hours for medical attention before the cleaner intervened, leading to a severe infection that necessitated amputation. In a separate incident reported by Akher al-Ahdath al-Iraqiya (Post Impact: 2%), the family of a young mother named Iman Hussein claims she died due to a medical error after seeking treatment for numbness in her finger, and they are now calling on the Ministry of Health to investigate the doctor involved.