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Removal of Iraqi Former President Talbani’s Portrait Stokes Rage in Kirkuk

Acting Governor of Kirkuk Rakan Jubouri during a previous meeting with police leaders. Show behind Jabouri is the portrait of late President Jalal Talabani, Asharq Al-Awsat
Acting Governor of Kirkuk Rakan Jubouri during a previous meeting with police leaders. Show behind Jabouri is the portrait of late President Jalal Talabani, Asharq Al-Awsat
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Removal of Iraqi Former President Talbani’s Portrait Stokes Rage in Kirkuk

Acting Governor of Kirkuk Rakan Jubouri during a previous meeting with police leaders. Show behind Jabouri is the portrait of late President Jalal Talabani, Asharq Al-Awsat
Acting Governor of Kirkuk Rakan Jubouri during a previous meeting with police leaders. Show behind Jabouri is the portrait of late President Jalal Talabani, Asharq Al-Awsat

Kirkuk erupted in anger and resentment hours after the acting governor of Kirkuk Rakan Said al-Jubouri took down a portrait of the late Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, in the governor's official chamber.

Facing mounting popular discontent, Jabouri issued a statement stressing that his decision to remove the portrait came in implementation of instructions received from federal authorities in Baghdad.

According to Jabouri, orders stipulated the removal of any symbolic images from official institutions belonging to the Iraqi state regardless of the stature of those symbols -- but Baghdad made no confirmation.

“Mr. Talabani was a national symbol and a pride. His image was raised when he was president of the republic, but there are instructions from the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to remove the images of symbols and the commitment to replace it with the image of the current president,” Jubouri said in his statement.

Talabani, the first non-Arab president of Iraq, is an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as President from 2006 to 2014, as well as the President of the Governing Council of Iraq.

But Jabouri's justifications did not suit Kurdish circles, with anger raging among members of the local government in Kirkuk, where Kurds constitute an overwhelming majority.

“The timing of removing the image of late President Talabani is completely inappropriate, and motives behind this action remain unknown," Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) member Babeker Siddiq told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Presented justifications are not convincing, Siddiq added.

The PUK describes its goals as self-determination, human rights, and democracy and peace for the Kurdish people of Kurdistan and Iraq.

“Since Jubouri took over office as governor of Kirkuk, he has been acting unilaterally and independently of the provincial council, making decisions inspired by his own imagination,” Siddiq slammed Jabouri.

“He pays no attention to the local government, and has not filled in its members on instructions issued from Baghdad,” he added.

“Assuming that such instructions have truly been issued by the federal authority, Jabouri should have consulted with members of the provincial council out of respect of the status of the late President Jalal Talabani, which is a symbol of peace and national unity,” Siddiq added.

According to the PUK member, Jabouri has taken multiple actions that overlook Kurdish public opinion, which now strongly condemns him.

The PUK, which has a large support base in Kirkuk, tried in March to erect a statue of its late leader, Talabani, at the ancient citadel of Kirkuk.

In the local governing authority’s defense, it requested moving the statue to another location, claiming that the area was an archaeological site belonging to all components of the local population and must be kept neutral.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.