Based on a Miqrab AI analysis of 406 Facebook posts trending on December 5, 2024, the primary narratives on Facebook in Iraq revolved around the unfolding situation in neighboring Syria. The most dominant conversation was driven by a statement from Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who called for Iraq’s non-interference in Syrian affairs and urged the government to hold accountable any Iraqi militias involved there. Domestically, widespread discussions focused on the severe electricity crisis, which was attributed to a halt in gas supplies from Iran. Other key topics included political commentary from figures like Hanan al-Fatlawi, official updates from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani’s office on government initiatives, and religious posts commemorating the martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Muqtada al-Sadr’s Call for Non-Interference in Syria

The most prominent story across Iraqi Facebook pages was a statement from cleric Muqtada al-Sadr regarding the escalating conflict in Syria. Pages like The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 37%) and Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 11%) shared his tweet, which called for Iraq, including its government, people, and security forces, to refrain from intervening in Syrian affairs. Other pages, such as Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 28%) and Bel Iraqi (Post Impact: 10%), highlighted his demand for the Iraqi government to punish what he termed “impudent militias” that interfere in Syria. This stance was praised by politician Khamis al-Khanjar (Post Impact: 3%), who described it as a conscious political discourse that prioritizes Iraq’s national interest.

2. Electricity Crisis Deepens After Iranian Gas Cut

A significant number of pages discussed the worsening electricity supply across Iraq, attributing it to a halt in gas imports from Iran. Pages like Ahmed Althawaq (Post Impact: 18%) and Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 4%) explained that Iran stopped gas flow to the central region for maintenance, causing a loss of 6,000 megawatts. This has severely impacted power stations in Basmayah, Mansouryah, and Sadr City, leading to reduced supply hours in Baghdad and the central provinces. The posts clarified that southern provinces are less affected because they rely more on locally produced gas. Basratuna Mudawiya (Post Impact: 3%) and Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 7%) echoed this information, urging citizens not to fall for rumors intended to sow discord between provinces and emphasizing the issue is technical, not political.

3. Hanan al-Fatlawi on Iraq’s Stance Against War

Politician Hanan al-Fatlawi was the subject of discussion regarding her recent statements on regional conflicts. Baghdad (Post Impact: 8%) quoted her saying, “We have had enough of widows and orphans and losing our sons and we do not want to enter any war on behalf of anyone.” The post further quoted her stating that neither the liberated provinces are ready to be burned by the fire of terrorism again, nor are the provinces that sacrificed their sons willing to offer new ones. In a related video post, Journalist Qahtan Adnan (Post Impact: 18%) discussed how al-Fatlawi is changing her political positions, particularly moving away from her previous “7 by 7” theory.

4. PM Al Sudani Highlights Education and Volunteerism

The official Facebook page of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani was active, highlighting his recent government activities. One post by Engineer Mohamed Shia Al Sudani (Post Impact: 13%) detailed a meeting he chaired with the “Return to Learning” initiative committee and UNICEF representatives. During the meeting, he praised efforts to address school dropouts and announced that the initiative has successfully returned 129,643 students to their studies. In another post, the Prime Minister’s page Engineer Mohamed Shia Al Sudani (Post Impact: 7%) covered his participation in an event for International Volunteer Day, where he emphasized the importance of volunteer work in tackling societal challenges like environmental issues and drug abuse. These events were also covered by the Prime Minister’s Media Office (Post Impact: 2%).

5. Commemorations for the Martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra

Several pages shared posts commemorating the martyrdom of Fatima al-Zahra, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 17%) posted a poignant poem attributed to Imam Ali mourning her, with verses like “There is no good in life after you, and I only cry for fear that my life will be long.” Similarly, Hakim al-Zamili (Post Impact: 3%) extended condolences to Imam al-Mahdi and all believers on this occasion. The posts reflected a shared sense of grief and religious observance among a segment of Iraqi Facebook users.

6. Diplomatic and Military Developments in Syria

Alongside discussions of Iraq’s potential role, pages also reported on other developments concerning the Syrian conflict. Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 9%) reported the arrival of the Syrian Foreign Minister in Baghdad to attend a trilateral meeting with his Iraqi and Iranian counterparts, Fuad Hussein and Abbas Araghchi. Meanwhile, Mustafa Sanad (Post Impact: 9%) shared a map of Syria, analyzing the current areas of control and the involvement of various international powers, including Turkey, the US, Russia, and Iran. He argued that there is no single unified state in Syria and stated, “neutrality is also a position, as you support the strong without your knowledge at the moment of neutrality.”

7. Land Distribution for Defense Ministry Personnel

The page Maher Mohi :: Voice of the Nation’s Protectors (Post Impact: 9%) announced good news for Ministry of Defense personnel in Baghdad. According to the page, approvals have been secured for the allocation and distribution of land plots to all officers and service members in the governorate. The announcement came after continuous efforts and communication with executive authorities by MP Ali Hatem Al-Maksousi. The page expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and other senior military officials for their roles in achieving this milestone. Another post from the same page (Post Impact: 2%) mentioned that the Minister of Defense visited the Minister of Justice to finalize procedures for the land distribution.

8. Astronomical Events Visible Over Iraq

The page Iraq Telescope (Post Impact: 8%) captured significant user interest by sharing images of a “legendary conjunction” between the crescent moon and the planet Venus, as seen from Baghdad. In a separate post, the same page (Post Impact: 6%) informed its followers that the International Space Station would be visible crossing the skies of Iraq. It provided specific timings for the event, noting the station would appear as a bright, fast-moving star and would be visible from all parts of the country for about five minutes.

9. Mohammed Al-Halbousi’s Meetings with US Officials

The official page of Mohammed Al-Halbousi, head of the Taqaddum Party, shared a series of updates about his meetings with US officials in Washington D.C. A post from Mohammed Al-Halbousi (Post Impact: 3%) detailed meetings with Republican Representatives John Moolenaar and John James, where they discussed energy cooperation and protecting minority rights in Iraq. Another post (Post Impact: 2%) covered his meeting with Representative Lisa McClain, focusing on the strategic partnership between Iraq and the US, as well as the recent developments in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. A third post (Post Impact: 2%) reported on his discussion about energy investment with Representative August Pfluger.

10. Syrian Lira Plummets Against the Dollar

The severe economic crisis in Syria was highlighted by several Iraqi pages, which pointed to the dramatic collapse of the Syrian lira. Both Min al-Iraq (Post Impact: 2%) and Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 2%) reported that the exchange rate had reached a new low, with 100 US dollars now equivalent to 2 million Syrian liras. The posts underscored the dire financial situation in the neighboring country amidst the ongoing conflict and political turmoil, a topic of clear interest to Iraqi social media users.