An analysis of (477) X \/ Twitter posts trending in Iraq on May 12, 2025, by Miqrab AI, reveals a landscape dominated by the pronouncements of major political and religious figures, regional geopolitical shifts, and domestic tensions surrounding the upcoming Baghdad summit. High-engagement posts from leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr and Qais al-Khazali set the tone, with the latter’s reaction to the dissolution of the PKK militant group sparking widespread debate about Turkish military presence in Iraq. Discussions also focused on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s controversial statements about Gulf rulers, renewed maritime friction with Kuwait, and circulating remarks by US President Donald Trump concerning his relations with Gulf nations and Syria. Domestically, dissent materialized in Basra through protests linked to the Arab summit in Baghdad, while the circulation of an official denial regarding the removal of martyrs’ photos highlighted ongoing sensitivities.<\/p>\n
In a post with the highest engagement of the day, influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Sadr<\/a> (Post Impact: 100%<\/strong>) shared a written statement describing the so-called “Faith Campaign” promoted by former president Saddam Hussein as a “campaign of disbelief and misguidance.”<\/em> The statement also asserted that his late father, Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr, did not support the campaign. The content of the statement was further shared and commented on by accounts like Shaho Al-Qaradaghi<\/a> (Post Impact: 4%<\/strong>), indicating the ongoing relevance of historical narratives and the Sadr family’s legacy in contemporary Iraqi political discourse.<\/p>\n The announcement that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has dissolved itself triggered significant reaction among Iraqi political figures, focusing primarily on the implications for Turkey’s military presence in northern Iraq. Qais al-Khazali<\/a> (Post Impact: 68%<\/strong>), leader of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, issued a statement arguing that the move removes the last justification for Turkish forces occupying Iraqi territory and called on the Iraqi government to demand a full withdrawal. This sentiment was echoed by others, while figures like Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%<\/strong>) and former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi<\/a> (Post Impact: 2%<\/strong>) welcomed the PKK’s decision as a positive step towards peace and stability, with Kadhimi calling it an invitation for all armed groups to “return to the state.”<\/p>\n A video circulating on X \/ Twitter shows a tense maritime encounter in the Khor Abdullah waterway, a frequent point of friction between Iraq and Kuwait. The post by Hayder<\/a> (Post Impact: 28%<\/strong>) describes a Kuwaiti patrol boat “aggressively” intercepting an Iraqi patrol and cutting off its path while sending warnings. Another account, Yasser Eljuboori<\/a> (Post Impact: 2%<\/strong>), commented on the incident, criticizing the Iraqi response as weak and claiming the Iraqi naval force “retreated slightly” while the Kuwaiti boats remained in what he identified as Iraqi waters. The incident has reignited discussions about Iraqi sovereignty and maritime border disputes.<\/p>\n A statement by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa generated significant discussion after being shared by pages like Kashf al-Abatil (Detectfalsehoo)<\/a> (Post Impact: 26%<\/strong>). In the shared clip, al-Sharaa declares, “I have no trust in Arab rulers, especially the Gulf rulers who pay jizya [a form of tribute] to America to keep them on their thrones.”<\/em> The remarks were met with some support, such as from Iraqi politician Mashaan al-Jubouri<\/a> (Post Impact: 4%<\/strong>), who praised al-Sharaa’s perspective and expressed a sense of shared sentiment. The comments are particularly notable given the ongoing preparations for the Arab summit in Baghdad, where Syria’s participation is a key topic.<\/p>\n A narrative celebrating the strength and influence of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali was prominent in several high-engagement posts. A video shared by Abu Darndash al-Askari<\/a> (Post Impact: 20%<\/strong>) praised a leader who “used to sleep among bullets” during the fight against ISIS in 2014, contrasting his steadfastness with politicians who fled. Similarly, Wasan al-Shaikhli<\/a> (Post Impact: 15%<\/strong>) claimed that Syrian leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani would not dare to come to Baghdad because of Sheikh Qais, stating, “I swear by God, the man fears no one else.”<\/em> These posts collectively portray Khazali as a crucial guardian of Iraq against external threats and internal weakness.<\/p>\n Multiple posts, primarily from journalist ZaidBenjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 10%<\/strong>), circulated comments made by US President Donald Trump regarding Middle Eastern affairs. Trump’s remarks covered Qatar’s gift of a new presidential aircraft, which he called a “great gesture of goodwill,”<\/em> and his view that financial contributions from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are gestures of appreciation for US protection. The journalist’s account also highlighted Trump’s stated intention to lift sanctions on Syria to give the country a “new beginning,” as shared by ZaidBenjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 5%<\/strong>). Another post by Abu Darndash al-Askari<\/a> (Post Impact: 8%<\/strong>) also featured a video about the Qatari “palace plane” gift.<\/p>\n The potential attendance of Syrian leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani at the Baghdad summit has drawn widespread condemnation. Hayder<\/a> (Post Impact: 8%<\/strong>) reported, citing Agence France-Presse (AFP), that al-Jolani would not participate due to an active arrest warrant. Accounts like Wasan al-Shaikhli<\/a> (Post Impact: 15%<\/strong>) attributed his absence to fear of Iraqi paramilitary leader Qais al-Khazali. Strong opposition was voiced by armed groups, with Sabereen News<\/a> (Post Impact: 2%<\/strong>) quoting Kataib Hezbollah’s security official Abu Ali al-Askari, who stated that “Jolani and his entire government are not welcome in Baghdad.” A representative for the Yazidi community also described al-Jolani as a “criminal” for his role in the 2014 atrocities in Sinjar.<\/p>\n Ahead of the Arab summit in Baghdad, protests have emerged in the southern city of Basra. According to Hayder<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%<\/strong>), hundreds demonstrated after a call by Member of Parliament Mustafa Sanad in response to the Interior Ministry’s decision to ban protests until the summit concludes. Other accounts, such as Shaho Al-Qaradaghi<\/a> (Post Impact: 2%<\/strong>), linked Sanad’s protest to an objection over the invitation extended to the Syrian president. Meanwhile, Omar al-Janabi<\/a> (Post Impact: 9%<\/strong>) criticized another MP from the ruling coalition for demonstrating in Basra rather than in Baghdad, the summit’s venue, questioning the protest’s true intent.<\/p>\n A significant meeting between two of the Shia world’s most prominent religious figures took place in Iraq. Hayder<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%<\/strong>) and Abu Darndash al-Askari<\/a> (Post Impact: 3%<\/strong>) reported that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani received Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Abdullah Jawadi Ameli, a renowned philosopher and Quranic exegete visiting from Iran. Political leader Ammar Al-Hakim<\/a> (Post Impact: 4%<\/strong>) also reported meeting with Sheikh Ameli, stating their discussions centered on challenges facing the Islamic nation and the role of religious institutions in intellectually fortifying society, particularly the youth.<\/p>\n The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) officially addressed rumors about the removal of martyrs’ photos from Baghdad’s streets ahead of the Arab summit. The PMF Media Directorate<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%<\/strong>) issued a statement denying “any alleged directive to remove the martyrs’ photos,” calling the claims baseless and intended to cause confusion. However, commentator Issam Hussein<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%<\/strong>) argued that removing the images would be a “clear denial of the sacrifices” that secured Iraq and enabled the current government to hold power, suggesting the photos should remain as a reminder to visiting Arab leaders of the cost of terrorism they once supported.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" An analysis of (477) X \/ Twitter posts trending in Iraq on May 12, 2025, by Miqrab AI, reveals a landscape dominated by the pronouncements of major political and religious figures, regional geopolitical shifts, and domestic tensions surrounding the upcoming Baghdad summit. High-engagement posts from leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr and Qais al-Khazali set the tone, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8927,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72,73,78],"tags":[82,52,81,83],"class_list":["post-8926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-twitter-x","category-iraq","category-daily","tag-daily-reports","tag-iraq-daily-social-media-trends","tag-iraq-public-opinion","tag-trending-x-twitter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8926"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8928,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8926\/revisions\/8928"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/miqrab.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. PKK Dissolution Sparks Calls for Turkish Withdrawal<\/h2>\n
3. Kuwaiti Patrol Intercepts Iraqi Boat in Khor Abdullah<\/h2>\n
4. Syrian President al-Sharaa Slams Gulf Rulers<\/h2>\n
5. Accounts Praise Qais al-Khazali’s Strength<\/h2>\n
6. Trump’s Remarks on Gulf Allies and Syria Circulate<\/h2>\n
7. Syrian Leader al-Jolani’s Potential Visit Stirs Anger<\/h2>\n
8. Protests in Basra Challenge Baghdad Summit<\/h2>\n
9. Grand Ayatollahs Sistani and Ameli Meet in Iraq<\/h2>\n
10. PMF Denies Removing Martyrs’ Photos for Summit<\/h2>\n