2025 in Iraq

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See also:	Other events of 2025 List of years in Iraq

Events of the year 2025 in Iraq .

Incumbents

• President: Abdul Latif Rashid
• Prime Minister: Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani

Events

January

• 2 January –
  • Opposition figure and activist Salman Al Khalidi is extradited to Kuwait to begin a prison sentence after fleeing on being convicted on 11 charges. ^[1]
  • Abdullah Warte, official spokesperson of the Iraqi Kurdistan-based Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (IMK) political party, announces a proposal to establish an office in Damascus, becoming the first Kurdish and Iraqi political party to establish a presence in post-Assad Syria. ^[2]
  • A $4.56 billion oil pipeline project connecting Basrah and Haditha to be developed by state-backed Basra Oil Company and Iraqi Oil Projects Company and funded under an Iraq-China agreement is approved. ^[3]
• 21 January – The Iraqi parliament passes three controversial laws: the personal affairs law which allows Sharia courts increased authority over family affairs, a general amnesty law, and a law allowing for the return of Kurdish lands. ^[4]
• 31 January – A bus carrying Shia Muslim pilgrims crashes into a car near Al Diwaniyah while driving to Najaf, killing seven people and injuring 42 others. ^[5]

February

• 4 February – The Federal Supreme Court blocks the three controversial laws passed in January, sparking calls for protests in several cities. ^[6]
• 11 February – The Federal Supreme Court upholds the three laws passed in January and overthrows the challenge issued earlier in the month. ^[7]

March

• 13 March – Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai alias “Abu Khadija”, the deputy head of Islamic State, is reported to have been killed in an airstrike in Anbar Governorate. ^[8]

April

• 1 April – Three people are injured in an axe attack on a procession of Assyrian Christians celebrating Akitu in Dohuk. The attacker, a suspected Islamic State supporter, is arrested. ^[9]
• 6 April – The Iraqi Teachers Union declares a strike, demanding the government improve teachers' salaries and living standards. ^[10]
• 8 April – Engineer Bashir Khalid dies in a hospital in Baghdad after being beaten by other inmates in detention, where he was placed with no charge after an argument with a police official. Video of the incident prompts widespread criticism. ^[11]
• 14 April –
  • A massive sandstorm hits central and southern Iraq, resulting in more than 3,700 hospitalizations. ^[12]
  • Prime Minister Al-Sudani, and President Rashid file an appeal to the Iraqi Federal Supreme court to reinstate the Khor Abdullah agreement which the court had overturned in September 2023. ^[13]
• 26 April – Protesters gather in Tahrir square in Baghdad urging the Federal Supreme court to not reinstate the Khor Abdullah agreement describing it as "Humiliating" and " violating of Iraqi sovereignty". ^[14]

May

• 10 May – The Iraqi government bans protests and demonstrations between 11 and 20 May in preparation for the Arab League summit. ^[15]
• 12 May – The BBC Panorama program airs confessions of 30 British veterans accusing some of their colleagues of committing war crimes during their deployment in Iraq. ^{[16] [17]}
• 13 May – Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa withdraws from attending the Arab League summit after the invitation extended to him triggers tensions in Iraq over his former ties to Al-Qaeda. The Syrian foreign minister is tasked with leading the country's delegation. ^[18]
• 16 May – Hasan Hadi becomes the first Iraqi filmmaker to have a film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France with the entry The President's Cake . ^[19]
• 17 May – Iraq hosts the 34th Ordinary Arab League summit in Baghdad, attended by delegations of 20 Arab countries and several guests, including Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres. ^[20]

June

• 1 June – Lebanese president Joseph Aoun heads an official delegation to Baghdad to discuss several issues regarding the relationship between the two countries. ^[21]
• 8 June – Health authorities in Al Anbar Governorate announce that several hospitals received 214 cases of poisoning, mostly in Fallujah, traced back to a fast food restaurant in the city. All cases recover within 48 hours with no reported fatalities. ^[22]
• 10 June –
  • The Iraqi national football team wins a match against Jordan during the world cup qualifiers, allowing Iraq another chance at qualifying for the world cup by competing in the Asian playoff round. ^[23]
  • The United States orders a partial evacuation of its embassy staff and dependents in Iraq for security reasons. ^[24]
• 13–24 June – Iraqi airspace and airports are closed to all flights due to the Israeli airstrikes on Iran. ^[25] On 14 June, the Iraqi authorities extend the closure to most airports except for Basra International Airport which is allowed to operate international flights during daytime only. ^[26] The closure of the airspace is fully lifted on 24 June after a ceasefire agreement is reached between Iran and Israel. ^[27]
• 23 June – Iran launches missiles towards US army bases in the region. ^[28]
• 24 June – The Taji military base north of Baghdad and Imam Ali Base in Dhi Qar Governorate are targeted by unidentified drones, damaging radar systems with no casualties reported. Iraqi defense authorities report that drones were shot down in other locations around the country. ^{[29] [28]}
• 29 June – Jassim Mohammed Abboud Al-Amiri resigns as head of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq amid a political dispute that saw nine of its justices resign in the preceding weeks. ^[30]

July

• 6 July – Twelve Turkish soldiers are killed by methane gas poisoning in a cave in northern Iraq while searching for the remains of a fellow soldier who was killed by the Kurdistan Workers' Party during Operation Claw-Lock in 2022. ^[31]
• 8 July – Clashes break out in Erbil between members of the Harky tribe and the Peshmerga, the Kurdish security forces, following a dispute over water rights, leaving several dead and injured. ^[32]
• 15 July – The Sarang oil field in Duhok Governorate is set on fire by a drone strike. ^[33]
• 16 July –
  • Mosul International Airport reopens following an 11-year closure caused by the war with Islamic State. ^[34]
  • 2025 Kut shopping mall fire: At least 61 people are killed in a fire at a shopping mall in Kut, Wasit Governorate. ^[35]
• 19 July – A PKK member is killed in a drone attack of unknown origin in Penjwen District, Sulaymaniyah Governorate. ^[36]
• 23 July – Muhammad Jamil Al-Mayahi resigns as governor of Wasit Governorate following criticism over the response to the 2025 Kut shopping mall fire. ^[37]
• 27 July – A police officer is killed after the Popular Mobilization Forces storm the Ministry of Agriculture building in Karkh, Baghdad in protest over the removal of a director, triggering clashes. ^[38]

August

• 10 August – Around 621 Shiite pilgrims commemorating Arbaeen are hospitalized after inhaling chlorine following a leak at a water treatment station in Karbala. ^[39]
• 11 August – A nationwide blackout occurs after two transmission lines are shut down due to high temperatures and increased demand in Babylon and Karbala Governorates during Arbaeen. ^[40]
• 13 August – A bus carrying Arbaeen pilgrims collides with a minibus on the Najaf–Basra road, killing five people and injuring 57 others. ^[41]
• 22 August – Politician Lahur Talabani is arrested at a hotel in Sulaymaniyah on charges of "conspiracy aimed at destabilising security and stability" following a standoff with police that leave three people dead. ^[42]

September

• 1 September – The Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul officially reopens following reconstruction works to undo its demolition by Islamic State militants in 2017. ^[43]
• 9 September – Authorities announce the release of Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was abducted in Baghdad in March 2023 while doing her doctoral studies. ^[44]

Holidays

Further information: Public holidays in Iraq

Source: ^[45]

• 1 January – New Year's Day
• 5 January – Iraqi Army Day
• 21 March – Nowruz
• 30–31 March – Eid al-Fitr
• 9 April – Liberation Day
• 1 May – Labour Day
• 6–9 June – Eid al-Adha
• 26 June – Islamic New Year
• 6 July – Ashura
• 14 July – Republic Day
• 16 August – Arba'in
• 4 September – Mawlid
• 3 October – National day
• 10 December – Victory Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day

Art and entertainment

• List of Iraqi submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

Deaths

• 24 January – Mukarram Talabani, politician (b. 1923) ^[46]
• 29 January – Salwan Momika, anti-Islam activist (b. 1986) ^[47]
• 8 February – Issam Al-Chalabi, politician (b. 1942) ^[48]
• 4 August – Ban Ziad Tariq, 34, psychiatrist and TikToker. ^[49]
• 26 August – Salima Khudair, 78, actress. ^[50]

See also

• 2020s portal
• Current events portal
• Asia portal
• Iraq portal

• Timeline of Iraq history
• Years in Iraq

References

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2. Menmy, Dana Taib (2025-01-02). "Kurdish party IMK to open office in Damascus following Assad's downfall". The New Arab. The New Arab MENA News . Retrieved 2025-01-04.
3. Onyango, Daniel (2025-01-02). "Iraq Approves $4.56 Billion Oil Pipeline Project". Pipeline Technology Journal . Retrieved 2025-01-04.
4. الخيام, فارس. "موجة استنكار بعد تمرير البرلمان العراقي 3 قوانين مثيرة للجدل". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-03-20.
5. "Seven Iraqi pilgrims killed, dozens hurt in road accident". Al Arabiya. 2025-01-31. Retrieved 2025-02-04.
6. الخيام, فارس. "أمر ولائي بالعراق يعطل قوانين العفو العام والأحوال الشخصية وإعادة العقارات". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-03-20.
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8. "Head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been killed, Iraqi prime minister says". AP News. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
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11. "حادثة وفاة مهندس تعرض لضرب في السجن تهز العراق فما القصة؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-04-11.
12. "Iraq sandstorm closes airports, puts 3,700 people in hospital". France 24. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
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14. "وقفة احتجاجية في بغداد ضد تقاسم خور عبد الله مع الكويت". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-05-11.
15. "العراق يحظر التظاهر خلال فترة انعقاد القمة العربية". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-05-15.
16. Quinn, Ben (2025-05-12). "UK special forces veterans accuse colleagues of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-06-01.
17. "UK veterans allege war crimes by British forces in Afghanistan, Iraq". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
18. "Syrian president will not attend Arab summit in Baghdad after invitation triggers divisions". AP News. 2025-05-13. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
19. "Iraq's first filmmaker in Cannes says sanctions no piece of cake". France 24. 2025-05-18. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
20. "القمة العربية الـ34 في بغداد بحضور 5 زعماء وهذه أبرز التصريحات". CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 2025-05-17. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
21. rima.khalil. "الرئيس اللبناني يزور بغداد الأحد". العربي الجديد (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2025-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
22. "بعد تسجيل 214 حالة تسمم غذائي.. صحة الأنبار: تماثل جميع المرضى للشفاء التام » وكالة الانباء العراقية (واع)". وكالة الانباء العراقية (واع) (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-06-11.
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26. "تمديد حظر الأجواء العراقية حتى مساء الأحد". 14 June 2015.
27. "Iraq Reopens Airspace After 12-Day Closure Amid Iran-Israel Conflict". 24 June 2025.
28. "Live updates: Trump claims Israel-Iran ceasefire is 'in effect' despite initial violations". AP News. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
29. "Drone targets Iraq's Taji military base, no casualties, state news agency says". Reuters. 2025-06-24. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
30. "Iraq's top court to resume work after president retires amid controversy". AP News. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
31. "Methane gas kills 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq operation". BBC . 2025-07-07. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
32. "اشتباكات مسلحة بين عشيرة كردية والبيشمركة في أربيل » وكالة الانباء العراقية (واع)". وكالة الانباء العراقية (واع) (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-07-09.
33. "Iraqi oil field on fire after drone strike during attacks in Kurdish region". AP News . 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
34. "Iraq reopens Mosul airport 11 years after ISIL conflict, destruction". Al Jazeera . 2025-07-16. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
35. "Iraq's shopping centre fire leaves 61 dead, many missing". BBC . 2025-07-17. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
36. "Unidentified drone kills PKK member, injures another in northern Iraq". Al Jazeera . 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2025-07-19.
37. "An Iraqi governor resigns after a deadly mall fire". AP News . 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
38. "Gunfight in Baghdad kills one as paramilitary group storms ministry". Al Jazeera. July 27, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
39. "More than 600 Shia pilgrims hospitalised due to chlorine gas leak in Iraq". Al Jazeera. 10 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
40. "More than 600 Shia pilgrims hospitalised due to chlorine gas leak in Iraq". France 24. 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
41. "Five Iranians dead, dozens injured in Arbaeen pilgrimage bus crash". Iran International. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
42. "Deadly clashes as Iraqi Kurdistan opposition figure arrested". GMA News. AFP. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
43. "Iraq reopens historic mosque in Mosul 8 years after Islamic State destruction". AP News. 2025-09-01. Retrieved 2025-09-03.
44. "Iraq PM Announces Release of Kidnapped Academic Elizabeth Tsurkov". The Moscow Times. 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
45. "Iraq Public Holidays 2025". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
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47. "Man who burned Quran 'shot dead in Sweden'". BBC. 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
48. "وفاة وزير النفط العراقي الأسبق عصام الجلبي عن عمر ناهز 83 عاماً في أحد مستشفيات عمان". AlrasheedMedia (in Arabic). 2025-02-08. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
49. Mysterious death of Iraqi psychiatrist sparks fury in the Middle Eastern country over state of women’s rights
50. Ata, Huda (2025-08-26). "Veteran Iraqi actress Salima Khudair dies at 79". Gulf News. Retrieved 2025-08-26.

External links

• Online calendar