Famous Iraqi Leaders

Uday Hussein was an the eldest child of  Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Uday was reportedly intimidating and erratically ruthless. Many claim that his relatives and acquaintances were victims of his rage. He was killed in 2003 by an American task force following the invasion of Iraq. 

Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq as its president from 1979 to 2003. Described as one of the last of the great dictators of the 20th century, his regime caused the deaths of at least 250,000 Iraqis. Saddam was deposed in 2003 when a U.S led coalition invaded Iraq. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006.

Tariq Aziz was an Iraqi politician best remembered for his service as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 11 November 1983 to 19 December 1991. An influential political leader, Tariq Aziz also served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq from 16 July 1979 to 9 April 2003.

Raghad Hussein is an Iraqi politician best known as the oldest daughter of Saddam Hussein. She left Iraq in 2003 and currently lives in exile in Jordan. Raghad Hussein is in Iraq's most wanted list for her supposed role in assisting the insurgency in Iraq.

Former prime minister and vice president of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki was the grandson of reputed poet Muhammad Hasan Abi al-Mahasin. He later joined the outlawed Daʿwah party and escaped to Syria under the pseudonym Jawad after his link with the party was discovered. He later became the party leader.

Abd al-Karim Qasim was an Iraqi nationalist and Army brigadier. He came to power after the 14 July Revolution, during which the Iraqi monarchy was overthrown. Abd al-Karim Qasim went on to serve as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 14 July 1958 to 8 February 1963. During his premiership, Qasim laid importance on education and greater equality for women.

Aḥmad Ḥasan al-Bakr was an Iraqi politician best remembered for his service as the President and the Prime Minister of Iraq from 1968 to 1979. He also served as the Prime Minister of Iraq from February to November 1963. An important political leader, Aḥmad Ḥasan al-Bakr also served as the Minister of Defence from 1974 to 1977.       

Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf is an Iraqi former politician and diplomat. He is best known for his service as the Minister of Information from 2001 to 2003. Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 6 June 1992 to 23 April 2001.

Jalal Talabani was an Iraqi Kurdish politician best remembered for his service as the President of Iraq from 2006 to 2014. Previously, he served as the Acting President from 2005 to 2006. Jalal Talabani is also remembered as the first non-Arab politician to serve as the president of Iraq. He is also credited with founding the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. 

Ali Hassan al-Majid was an Iraqi political leader and military commander. He served as the leader of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, interior minister, and defence minister under Saddam Hussein. An important politician, Ali Hassan al-Majid also served as the governor of Kuwait during the Gulf War.

Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri was an Iraqi political leader and Army Field Marshal. He is best remembered for his service as the Vice President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 to 9 April 2003. Considered the closest advisor of President Saddam Hussein, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri also served as the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council's Vice Chairman until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Ahmed Chalabi was an Iraqi politician who served as the president of the Governing Council of Iraq from 1 September 2003 to 30 September 2003. He is credited with founding the Iraqi National Congress and served as its leader for many years.

Esarhaddon reigned as the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 681 BC until his death in 669 BC. He is best remembered for his invasion of Egypt in 671 BC. The conquest made his empire the world's largest at that time. Esarhaddon is also remembered for his reconstruction of Babylon.

Mohammed Hadid was an Iraqi politician, democracy advocate, and economist. He is best remembered for his service as the Minister of Finance of Iraq from 1958 to 1963 under the presidency of Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i. Mohammed Hadid is also remembered as the father of the world-renowned architect Dame Zaha Hadid.

Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti was an Iraqi political figure who served as the leader of the Iraqi intelligence service known as Mukhabarat. One of Saddam Hussein's three half-brothers, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti was believed to have been an important presidential adviser before the invasion of the USA.

Ur-Nammu reigned as the King of the Neo-Sumerian Empire from 2112 BC to 2094 BC. He is credited with founding the Third Dynasty of Ur, which is also referred to as the Neo-Sumerian Empire, in southern Mesopotamia. Ur-Nammu is best remembered for creating the Code of Ur-Nammu, the oldest known extant legal code in the world.

Masoud Barzani is a Kurdish politician who served as the President of Kurdistan Region from 2005 to 2017. A respected politician, Barzani has been serving as the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party since 1979. Barzani is credited with playing a crucial role in the progression of the Kurdistan Region polity after the end of the Gulf War in 1991.

Latif Yahia is an Iraqi former military officer who played a prominent role in the Iran–Iraq War. He achieved popularity when he claimed that he had been Uday Saddam Hussein's body double for many years, although his claims have been challenged by many. Yahia's claims inspired the 2011 film The Devil's Double, where he was played by Dominic Cooper.

ʿAbd al-Rahman ʿArif was an Iraqi political leader best remembered for his service as the President of Iraq from 1966 to 1968. A prominent politician, ʿAbd al-Rahman ʿArif also served as the Prime Minister of Iraq in 1967. Arif was also a career soldier who played an important role in the 14 July Revolution that overthrew the monarchy.

Ayad Allawi is an Iraqi politician best known for his service as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 1 June 2004 to 3 May 2005. A prominent politician, Allawi also served as the Vice President of Iraq from 10 October 2016 to 2 October 2018. A former Ba'athist, Ayad Allawi helped establish a political party called the Iraqi National Accord.

Adnan Khairallah was an Iraqi political leader who served as the Minister of Defence from 15 October 1977 until his death on 4 May 1989. Although he was Saddam Hussein's brother-in-law, Khairallah had a long-standing rift with Hussein, which led many to believe that Adnan Khairallah was killed under orders from Saddam Hussein. His death was officially labeled an accident.

Rashid Ali al-Gaylani was an Iraqi politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Iraq on three occasions between 1933 and 1941. An ardent Arab nationalist, Rashid Ali al-Gaylani made an attempt to eliminate the British influence from Iraq by commencing a coup d'état in 1941 that deposed the pro-British regime of 'Abd al-Ilah.

Mustafa al-Barzani was a Kurdish general and leader. He is widely regarded as one of the most important political leaders in modern Kurdish politics. Mustafa Barzani was the primary military and political leader of the Kurdish revolution; he led military campaigns against both the Iranian and Iraqi governments until his death on 1 March 1979.

Shalmaneser III reigned as the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 859 BC to 824 BC. His long reign was marked by a series of campaigns against the Babylonians, the eastern tribes, the nations of Syria and Mesopotamia, as well as Urartu and Kizzuwadna. It is in his annals that the Chaldeans and Arabs first appear in recorded history.

Al-Hādī reigned as the fourth Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate from 24 July 785 until his death on 14 September 786. A physically strong ruler, Al-Hādī was renowned for his bravery and generosity. However, he was cruel and continued his father's persecutions and unfair policies. His short reign was marked by internal conflicts and power struggles with his mother.

Abdul Salam Arif was an Iraqi political leader best remembered for his service as the President of Iraq from 8 February 1963 until his death on 13 April 1966. Abdul Salam Arif played an important role in the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état, which overthrew the Hashemite monarchy on 14 July 1958.

Nuri al-Said was an Iraqi politician who served as the prime minister of Iraq on eight occasions between 1930 and 1958. He also held various prominent cabinet positions during his long political career. Nuri al-Said is also credited with shaping the modern Iraqi state by making some of the most important policy decisions.

Shalmaneser V reigned as the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 727 BC until his death in 722 BC. He is best remembered for his conquest of Samaria, which brought about the fall of the Kingdom of Israel. Apart from his war against the Israelites, Shalmaneser V is also believed to have dealt with other campaigns in the west.

Taha Yassin Ramadan was an Iraqi military officer and politician of Kurdish origin. He is best remembered for his service as Vice President of Iraq from 1991 to 2003. Taha Yassin Ramadan was one of the three vice presidents, the other two being Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri and Taha Muhie-eldin Marouf, to serve under President Saddam Hussein.

Abid Hamid Mahmud was an Iraqi military officer best remembered for his service as Saddam Hussein's personal secretary from 1990 to 2003. Abid Hamid Mahmud is also remembered for his service as the Director of the Iraqi Special Security Organization from 1992 to 1997.

Masrour Barzani is a Kurdish political leader and the current Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region. An important member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masrour Barzani has played an important role in helping the world understrand the plight of the Kurdish people. He is also credited with founding a non-profit charity organization called the Barzani Charity Foundation.

Tiglath-Pileser I reigned as the King of the Middle Assyrian Empire from 1114 BC until his death in 1076 BC. He is best remembered for his enthusiasm for building projects and his military campaigns. During his reign, Assyria became the most dominant power of the Ancient Near East. Tiglath-Pileser I is credited with expanding Assyrian control into Syria and Anatolia.

Qutayba ibn Muslim was an Arab commander who served as the governor of Khurasan. An accomplished soldier and administrator, Qutayba played an important role in the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana. Qutayba ibn Muslim also conquered Samarkand and Khwarizm, extending Muslim control to parts of western China and the Fergana Valley.

ʿAbd al-ʿAziz al-Hakim was an Iraqi politician and theologian. He is best remembered for his service as the President of the Governing Council of Iraq in 2003. A prominent political leader, ʿAbd al-ʿAziz al-Hakim also served as the leader of a Shia Islamist political party called Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.  

Shalmaneser I reigned as the King of the Middle Assyrian Empire from 1273 BC to 1244 BC. According to his annals, which were discovered at Assur, Shalmaneser I conquered eight countries and destroyed the fortress of Arinnu in his first year as king of Assyria. He is also credited with founding the city of Kalhu.

Bakr Sidqi was an Iraqi general officer of Kurdish origin. He took part in several wars, including the First Balkan War, World War I, and the Great Arab Revolt. Renowned for his intelligence, self-confidence, and ambition, Bakr Sidqi was often counted among the most skilful officers in the Royal Iraqi Army.

Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti was a political leader best remembered for leading the Mukhabarat, the Iraqi secret service, during the 1991 Gulf War. He also served as the Head of the Directorate of General Security between 1991 and 1996. Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti was Saddam Hussein's half-brother and served as his advisor during the latter's presidency.

Hoshyar Zebari is an Iraqi political leader best known for his service as the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq from September 2014 to October 2014. An important politician, Hoshyar Zebari served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003 to 2014. He then served as the Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2016.

Firsat Sofi was an Iraqi Kurdish political leader who served as the Governor of Erbil from 17 September 2019 until his death on 18 November 2020. An important member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Firsat Sofi also served as a Member of Kurdistan Region Parliament from 2013 to 2018.

Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz was an Iraqi politician, writer, and reformist. Al-Bazzaz is best remembered for his service as the Acting President of Iraq in April 1966. He also served as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 1965 to 1966. A prominent political leader, Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz is also known for his service as the Foreign Minister of Iraq in 1965.

Isa ibn Musa was a nephew of As-Saffāḥ and Al-Mansur, the first two Abbasid caliphs. He is perhaps best remembered for his service as the Abbasid Governor of Kufa from 750 to 765. Isa ibn Musa was also the heir-apparent of the Abbasid Caliphate for a long time before he was superseded by Al-Mahdī.

Rafi al-Issawi is an Iraqi political leader best known for his service as the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq from 19 July 2008 to 22 December 2010. He also served as the Minister of Finance from 22 December 2010 to 1 March 2013. A doctor by profession, Rafi al-Issawi has also served as the chief of the Fallujah hospital.

Ghaida Kambash was an Iraqi politician who served as a member of the Council of Representatives from 2010 until her death on 10 July 2020 due to COVID-19. Ghaida Kambash campaigned for a reform of the Iraqi education system shortly before her death at the age of 46.

Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali was an Iraqi politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Iraq from 17 September 1953 to 29 April 1954. An influential political leader, Al-Jamali also served as the Foreign Minister of Iraq from 1 July 1946 to 27 January 1948. Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali also worked as a professor at the University of Tunis.