Based on an analysis of 407 Facebook posts by Miqrab AI on February 16, 2025, the primary narratives trending in Iraq centered on domestic affairs and public interest topics. The most prominent theme was the widespread circulation of weather forecasts predicting a severe cold snap and potential snowfall, generating significant user engagement. Political discourse was also active, featuring discussions on historical matters such as the alleged property holdings of Saddam Hussein and current commentary from political figures like Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani. Government activities under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani were highlighted, particularly new initiatives in education and industry. Additionally, reports of US financial actions against Iraqi banks and the official denial from the Central Bank captured attention, alongside local news stories about public safety, crime, and weather conditions across the country.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Severe Cold Wave and Potential Snowfall Forecasted for Iraq

A major topic of conversation was the weather forecast predicting a severe cold wave for the upcoming week, which some pages described as the most intense in five years. Multiple pages, including Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 8%) and Mosul – MOSUL (Post Impact: 1%), warned their followers to prepare for the harsh conditions. The page Telescope Iraq (Post Impact: 4%) specifically predicted that temperatures in Baghdad could reach 2 degrees below zero on Monday. Several outlets also noted that if the polar air mass combines with moisture, parts of northern and central Iraq, and possibly Baghdad, could experience snowfall.

2. MP Claims Saddam Hussein Owned Hundreds of Properties

Pages widely circulated statements from Member of Parliament Amir al-Ma’mouri, who challenged the common belief that former president Saddam Hussein did not personally own property. Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 7%) quoted the MP as saying, “The lack of property ownership by Saddam is a lie,” and alleged that official records show Saddam held significant real estate in his name, in addition to 70 properties for his wife and 200 for his children. A video post by Muna Sami (Post Impact: 2%) featured al-Ma’mouri explaining his belief that this “lie” was propagated by influential figures after 2003 so they could seize control of these assets.

3. Wolves Attack Camping Couple Near Erbil

A public safety incident from the Kurdistan Region was shared across several news pages, detailing a wolf attack on a couple. The pages Baghdad (Post Impact: 6%) and Bab Al-Toob (Post Impact: 5%) both reported that a pair attempted to camp near Filaw Lake in the Choman district, north of Erbil, when they were attacked by a pack of wolves. Both accounts confirmed that Civil Defense forces intervened and successfully rescued the couple.

4. PM Sudani Launches “Iduba” School Construction Project

The office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani promoted the launch of a new school construction initiative called the “Iduba” project. Posts from the Prime Minister’s official page, Mohamed Shia Alsudani (Post Impact: 4%), and the Iraqi PM Media Office (Post Impact: 2%), announced that the first phase of the project had begun in five provinces: Baghdad, Babil, Basra, Muthanna, and Anbar. The reports highlighted that this project represents a new government strategy to partner with the private sector to address Iraq’s need for an estimated 10,000 new school buildings and to eliminate double-shift school days.

5. Reports of US Sanctions on Iraqi Banks and Official Denial

A developing financial story involved reports of potential U.S. sanctions against several Iraqi banks. Ziad al-Hashimi (Post Impact: 4%) posted an analysis stating that operations from the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had begun, targeting smaller Iraqi banks for allegedly facilitating illicit financial activities and currency smuggling. However, Baghdadia Eyes (Post Impact: 4%) posted a direct counter-narrative, stating that the Central Bank of Iraq has officially denied that any Iraqi banks are facing new international sanctions. This created conflicting information on a matter of significant economic importance.

6. Rains Fall Across Baghdad, Basra, and Diyala

In addition to forecasts of a coming cold wave, pages reported on current rainfall across different regions of Iraq. Diyala TV (Post Impact: 4%) noted that moderate to heavy rain was falling in parts of its province and asked followers about the weather in their areas. Similarly, Baghdadia Eyes (Post Impact: 4%) reported light to moderate rain in Baghdad and other governorates. The page From Baghdad+ (Post Impact: 2%) shared a video showcasing what it called the “beautiful atmosphere” in Basra due to the rain.

7. PM Chairs Council to Boost National Industry

The Iraqi PM Media Office (Post Impact: 2%) reported extensively on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani chairing a meeting of the Industrial Coordination Council. In multiple posts, the page detailed key decisions aimed at supporting local industry. These include increasing the production of essential oils, promoting the domestic manufacturing of precious metals and cosmetics, providing industrial zones with electricity outside of peak hours, and requiring that government dealings with the private industrial sector occur exclusively through the Ministry of Industry’s development directorate. The page noted the council will now meet monthly to address challenges facing industrialists.

8. Woman Accused of Killing Husband in Baghdad’s al-Amin

A crime story from Baghdad’s al-Amin district gained traction, with pages reporting on a woman who allegedly killed her husband. According to Last Iraqi Events (Post Impact: 2%), the woman shot her husband, an employee at the Ministry of Electricity, with his personal pistol due to family problems, and the incident occurred on Valentine’s Day. Baghdad Network (Post Impact: 1%) also covered the “mysterious murder,” promising to provide its followers with more details as they became available.

9. Calls to Improve Living Conditions for Iraqi Soldiers

A recurring theme focused on the welfare of Iraqi soldiers and calls for better support from the government. The page Maher Mouhi::Voice of the Homeland’s Protectors (Post Impact: 2%) shared a video emphasizing the harsh conditions soldiers endure, including extreme weather and time away from their families, while calling for at least an improvement in the quality of their provisions. In a similar post, Support for Iraqi Security Forces (Post Impact: 1%) echoed these sentiments, arguing that providing soldiers with better food during their ten-day service shifts would help alleviate some of the burdens they carry.

10. Parliament Speaker on Raghad Hussein and Syria’s Future

Commentary from Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani on domestic and regional politics was a topic of discussion. Sahar Abbas Jameel (Post Impact: 2%) shared a video clip in which al-Mashhadani stated that Raghad Saddam Hussein is not a Ba’athist and that the law does not prevent her from participating in elections, while also questioning why some political leaders still fear the Ba’ath party’s return. In a separate post, Al-Adhamiya News (Post Impact: 2%) reported that the Speaker predicted Syria could “slip into chaos,” sharing his perspective on regional stability.