Based on an analysis of (455) Facebook posts trending on December 17, 2025, Miqrab AI identified several key narratives circulating in Iraq. The most dominant theme was economic news, with intense public interest focused on Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s announcement of a new employee salary scale. Stories inspiring national pride, such as a world-record medical achievement by the Najaf Heart Center, were popular but stood in sharp contrast to widespread criticism of failing public infrastructure, particularly in schools and residential areas. Security remained a prominent topic with official reports on counter-terrorism operations, while human-interest stories involving community police and the legal troubles of a street vendor also gained significant traction online.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. New Employee Salary Scale Announced by Al-Sudani

The most engaging topic was the announcement of a new salary scale for government employees by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. The page Haider Khalaf Ghazi (Post Impact: 100%) shared the news as a breaking story, highlighting the “modifications and benefits” declared by the Prime Minister. Similarly, politician Mustafa Sanad (Post Impact: 22%) shared an image related to the announcement, clarifying, “Note: The one who declared this is the Prime Minister, not me,” underscoring the official nature and significance of the news. The page Mohammed Al-Khazai (Post Impact: 3%) also featured activist Hadi Al-Salami discussing the fate of the salary scale, indicating broad public and political discussion around the economic measure.

2. Najaf Heart Center Achieves World Record in Heart Surgery

A story generating significant national pride was the new world record set by the Najaf Center for Heart Surgery and Catheterization. As reported by Abu Al-Arif (Post Impact: 50%), a team led by Dr. Khalid Anbar Al-Araji performed the world’s fastest transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in just 15 minutes. The procedure was performed on a 70-year-old patient and was broadcast live via Zoom to the Gulf Intervention Society (GIS) conference in Dubai, where it was witnessed by over 200 experts. The page Maraya (Post Impact: 12%) also celebrated the achievement, noting that the 15-minute procedure “entered Iraq’s name into the Guinness Book of World Records” and reaffirmed the country’s leadership in cardiac surgery.

3. Poor and Unsafe Conditions in Iraqi Schools Criticized

Multiple viral posts highlighted the dangerous and inadequate conditions in Iraqi schools. Wikileaks Iraq (Post Impact: 47%) shared a video with the caption, “Every four students are sitting on the iron frame of a single desk,” illustrating severe overcrowding. The same incident in a Wasit school was reported by Khabar Ajeal (Urgent News) (Post Impact: 4%). In a separate and alarming event, Haider Khalaf Ghazi (Post Impact: 13%) posted about a “terrifying scene in a school in Muthanna: the ground suddenly swallows three female students,” pointing to critical infrastructure failures that put students’ lives at risk.

4. Community Police Praised for Helping Child with Stolen Bag

A heartwarming story about the Community Police assisting a young girl named Layan captured significant attention. After a video of the girl crying over her stolen school bag went viral, pages like Maher Mouhi::Sawt Humat Al-Watan (Post Impact: 25%) and Baghdad (Post Impact: 7%) reported that a police detachment visited her home. They provided her with a new school bag and supplies, offering moral support to ensure her well-being. The posts celebrated the positive outcome, stating that the police’s action “brought back her sweet smile” and highlighted their commitment to follow up on her case to prevent future incidents.

5. Counter-Terrorism Service Reports Arrest of Six Terrorists

The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) was active on Facebook, reporting on recent security operations. The official page Iraqi Special Operations Forces (Post Impact: 12%) announced the arrest of six terrorists across several provinces. Four were apprehended in Kirkuk in collaboration with the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, while two others were caught in Mosul and Baghdad. The page also reported on search operations in Salah al-Din and Kirkuk that resulted in the destruction of six ISIS hideouts. In a separate, defiant post, the same page (Post Impact: 18%) issued a warning to remaining terrorists, stating, “You may think geography protects you… But there is no safe haven for you, no extra time, and no room to escape.”

6. Religious Figures Call for Prayers of Gratitude for Rain

Following recent rainfall, a call for religious observance spread across several pages. The highly engaged post from Mosleh Mohammed Al-Iraqi (Post Impact: 75%) urged followers to show gratitude, stating, “It is an act of politeness before God Almighty to pray two rak’ahs of thanks for the blessing of rain… for with gratitude, blessings last.” This message was echoed by the Saraya al-Salam – Central Media Directorate (Post Impact: 2%), indicating a shared sentiment among religious circles to frame the rain as a divine blessing that requires a specific act of worship and thanks.

7. Worshiper’s Death During Prayer in Ramadi Goes Viral

A video showing the death of a man during dawn prayers in Ramadi was widely circulated and commented on. The page Baghdad (Post Impact: 18%) shared the clip, reporting that the man passed away while prostrating. The story was also covered by Mosul – MOSUL (Post Impact: 2%), which described it as a moment of “stillness and reverence.” Pages framed the event as a blessed and peaceful death, prompting followers to share prayers and condolences for the deceased and his family.

8. Writer Links Sectarianism to Historical Anti-Persian Sentiment

A lengthy analytical post by writer Rusly Al-Maliki, shared on his pages Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 12%) and Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 5%), gained traction for its controversial historical thesis. The author argues that the common denominator among major Islamic figures who are often vilified by certain Shia factions is their role in the Islamic conquest of the Sasanian Empire in Persia. He lists companions of the Prophet Muhammad like Abu Bakr, Omar ibn al-Khattab, and military leaders like Khalid ibn al-Walid, suggesting their vilification is rooted in a lingering Persian nationalistic resentment over the fall of their empire to Arab armies. He concludes that this historical grievance has been repurposed to fuel modern sectarian divisions.

9. Public Follows Case of Arrested Basra Street Vendor “Yusra”

The arrest and subsequent release of a street vendor named Yusra in Basra became a topic of public interest. Ammar Al-Hilfi (Post Impact: 8%) first reported her arrest, stating she was detained for selling sweets on the Shatt al-Arab corniche and expressed hope for her release. A later post from the same creator (Post Impact: 13%) celebrated her freedom with the message, “Thank God, Yusra has been released. Thanks to the just judiciary,” suggesting that public attention and legal processes led to a positive resolution for the woman.

10. Posts Highlight Neglected Infrastructure in Residential Areas

The poor state of public services and infrastructure in residential neighborhoods was a recurring theme, particularly on the page of Hassan Zuher Hakim (Post Impact: 17%). Through short video clips, he drew attention to different areas, describing them as “afflicted” or “disaster-stricken.” One post focused on the “Al-Nida’ neighborhood,” while another from the same page (Post Impact: 4%) highlighted the “Al-Barakiyah neighborhood.” These posts served as visual complaints against official neglect, showcasing dilapidated streets and poor living conditions to a sympathetic online audience.