Based on Miqrab AI’s analysis of 440 X \/ Twitter posts trending on May 11, 2025, the social media landscape in Iraq is dominated by intense domestic political debates ahead of the upcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad. Key narratives include widespread anger over the removal of posters of martyrs from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to “beautify” the city, and a sharp controversy surrounding the potential participation of Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Concurrently, discussions on regional geopolitics are prominent, with users analyzing Hamas’s strategic gains from direct hostage negotiations with the U.S., Saudi Arabia’s reported deal for a U.S.-monitored nuclear program, and the uncertain progress of U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat. A notable story from U.S. politics also gained traction, focusing on reports of former President Donald Trump receiving a luxury jet as a gift from Qatar.<\/p>\n
A major controversy erupted on Iraqi social media over the removal of posters of martyrs, particularly Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, from Baghdad’s Airport Road in preparation for the upcoming Arab Summit. Accounts such as Abu Darandash Al-Askari<\/a> (Post Impact: 47%)<\/strong>, Tamara Alkhazraji<\/a> (Post Impact: 30%)<\/strong>, and Ahmed Abdulsada<\/a> (Post Impact: 8%)<\/strong> vehemently condemned the act, framing it as a betrayal of those who sacrificed their lives for Iraq and an insulting gesture to appease Arab leaders, some of whom they accuse of having supported terrorism. Ahmed Abdulsada described the action as “treason against the martyrs.”<\/em> In response, pro-PMF accounts circulated videos showing their members restoring the images. Dr. Ahmed Al-Abbasi<\/a> (Post Impact: 60%)<\/strong> shared a clip of the Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada faction putting a martyr’s picture back up, with the declaration that “Iraq will not be a normalizer.”<\/em><\/p>\n The potential attendance of Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, at the Baghdad Arab Summit sparked a fierce and polarizing debate. Mustafa Al-Dulaimi<\/a> (Post Impact: 85%)<\/strong> offered a staunch defense, arguing that opposition to al-Sharaa was not due to genuine concern for Iraqi lives but because “he broke the Iranian crescent.”<\/em> In stark contrast, widespread opposition from other political and public circles viewed his potential presence as unacceptable. This strong pushback appears to have been effective, as Haider<\/a> (Post Impact: 27%)<\/strong> reported, citing an Iraqi government adviser, that al-Sharaa would not attend the summit due to “popular and political rejection.”<\/em> Analyst Liqaa Maki<\/a> (Post Impact: 14%)<\/strong> suggested that this outcome highlights the Iraqi government’s struggle to assert its authority and make sovereign decisions independently of the country’s various power centers.<\/p>\n A significant geopolitical discussion focused on the strategic implications of Hamas negotiating directly with the United States for the release of American hostage Aidan Alexander. In a highly impactful post, Liqaa Maki<\/a> (Post Impact: 100%)<\/strong> argued that while Hamas would not receive a direct payment, its political gains were immense, including “sowing doubt between America and Israel,”<\/em> winning the precedent of direct talks with the U.S. without Israel’s involvement, and potentially forcing an end to the war on terms unfavorable to Prime Minister Netanyahu. This analysis was complemented by news updates from ZaidBenjamin Zaid Benjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 10%)<\/strong>, who reported that Israel would pause its military operations to facilitate the release. ZaidBenjamin Zaid Benjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 5%)<\/strong> also shared a joint statement from Qatar and Egypt welcoming Hamas’s agreement as a “gesture of goodwill.”<\/em><\/p>\n News concerning former U.S. President Donald Trump gained significant attention, with reports that he is set to receive a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jet, valued at around $400 million, as a gift from Qatar. ZaidBenjamin Zaid Benjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 37%)<\/strong>, citing ABC News, and ZaidBenjamin Zaid Benjamin<\/a> (Post Impact: 7%)<\/strong>, citing the Washington Post, detailed the proposed arrangement. The aircraft would reportedly serve as the new “Air Force One” during a potential second Trump term, with ownership transferring to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation afterward. Despite the arrangement raising ethical concerns, the posts noted that the U.S. Department of Justice and White House counsel have reportedly deemed the gift legal and not a violation of constitutional prohibitions on foreign gifts to officials. The story was also covered by Wassan Al-Shaikhli<\/a> (Post Impact: 5%)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A detailed analysis by David Yassin<\/a> (Post Impact: 66%)<\/strong> reported that Saudi Arabia will get the green light to enrich uranium for its energy program under strict U.S. supervision. The post described a unique arrangement where the nuclear facility would be built above ground for constant monitoring by U.S. satellites and would use a fully American operating system and triple-layered security. According to Yassin, the ultimate goal is strategic: to create a regional alternative to Iran’s nuclear influence and compel Tehran to purchase nuclear fuel from Riyadh. He framed the development as “‘a monitored nuclear Saudi Arabia’ versus ‘a restricted non-nuclear Iran’,”<\/em> calling it a move of “precise intelligence engineering.”<\/em><\/p>\n A video shared by Hiba Al-Nnayib HIBA Alnnayib<\/a> (Post Impact: 82%)<\/strong> generated significant discussion by showing the conversion of a Shiite husseiniya in Aleppo, Syria, into a center for teaching the Quran. The post specified that the site contains a shrine said to be dedicated to the head of Imam Hussein, a revered figure in Shia Islam. By sharing the clip and asking followers for their opinion, the account highlighted a development with strong sectarian undertones and the potential to provoke reactions across the Islamic world.<\/p>\n The essential role of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as the protectors of Iraq’s Shiite population was a recurring narrative. A post by Hassan Al-Kaabi | Hassan Alkaabi<\/a> (Post Impact: 55%)<\/strong> starkly warned of the “end of Iraq’s Shiites if the Popular Mobilization Forces hand over their weapons.”<\/em> This viewpoint connects directly to the widespread anger over the removal of PMF martyrs’ posters, which was seen not just as an insult but as an attempt to erase the legacy of the nation’s protectors. Actions by PMF factions to restore the posters, documented by users like Dr. Ahmed Al-Abbasi<\/a> (Post Impact: 60%)<\/strong>, reinforced this narrative of the PMF as a force that actively defends its identity and honors its sacrifices.<\/p>\n The long-standing and controversial Khor Abdullah maritime border agreement with Kuwait resurfaced as a topic of debate. Accounts like Shaho Al-Qaradaghi<\/a> (Post Impact: 22%)<\/strong> and Yasser Eljuboori – Yasser Al-Jubouri<\/a> (Post Impact: 11%)<\/strong> shared a video of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki defending his government’s decision to sign the pact. In the clip, al-Maliki argued that the agreement was vital for safeguarding Iraq’s maritime access and claimed that annulling it would lead to Kuwait gaining full control of the waterway. His statement, “if the agreement is canceled… the Khor becomes Kuwaiti,”<\/em> reignited discussion around issues of national sovereignty and historical relations with Kuwait.<\/p>\n The fourth round of U.S.-Iran negotiations in Muscat drew analytical commentary from Iraqi users, who noted the high stakes and uncertain outcome. Rafid Jaboori Rafid Jabbouri<\/a> (Post Impact: 11%)<\/strong> characterized the talks as being in a “decisive phase,” reporting that the U.S. has escalated its demands to include the complete dismantlement of Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities. Liqaa Maki<\/a> (Post Impact: 6%)<\/strong> highlighted the differing perspectives on the talks’ progress, somewhere between the American description of “encouraging”<\/em> and the Iranian one of “difficult.”<\/em> Both accounts suggested that the fact the negotiations are continuing indicates that a complete breakdown has been avoided for now, but the path forward remains unclear.<\/p>\n The persistent issue of corruption was brought to the forefront by a widely shared video clip. Salim Al-Jumaili<\/a> (Post Impact: 44%)<\/strong> posted a video in which former official Hoshyar Zebari accuses Hamad al-Moussawi of stealing six billion dollars. The post highlights the irony that al-Moussawi later went on to chair the parliamentary Integrity Committee, a body responsible for combating corruption. This specific allegation resonated with a general sense of public frustration, with users like Al-Sahafi Samer Al-Saadi<\/a> (Post Impact: 5%)<\/strong> remarking on how some politicians who once couldn’t afford shoes are now multi-billionaires.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Based on Miqrab AI’s analysis of 440 X \/ Twitter posts trending on May 11, 2025, the social media landscape in Iraq is dominated by intense domestic political debates ahead of the upcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad. Key narratives include widespread anger over the removal of posters of martyrs from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8933,"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-8932","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"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t2. Debate on Syrian Leader Ahmed al-Sharaa’s Summit Role<\/h2>\n
3. Hamas’s Perceived Gains in US Hostage Negotiations<\/h2>\n
4. Reports: Trump to Receive $400M Luxury Jet from Qatar<\/h2>\n
5. Saudi Arabia to Launch US-Monitored Nuclear Program<\/h2>\n
6. Shiite Shrine in Aleppo Reportedly Converted to Quran Center<\/h2>\n
7. Narratives Emphasize PMF’s Role as Protector of Shiites<\/h2>\n
8. Al-Maliki Defends Khor Abdullah Pact with Kuwait<\/h2>\n
9. Uncertainty Surrounds US-Iran Nuclear Talks in Muscat<\/h2>\n
10. Corruption Allegation Against Former Integrity Head Surfaces<\/h2>\n