Logo of Iraq’s Ministry of Communications, which denied reports of a daily overnight internet shutdown.
Communications Ministry denies role in Hezbollah, Houthi terror-listing ‘error’
BAGHDAD — The Communications Ministry on Saturday denied any role in the decision that mistakenly listed Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis on Iraq’s terror-financing list, saying its representative on the responsible committee was on leave when the vote was taken.
In a statement, the ministry said its official representative on the Committee for Freezing Terrorists’ Assets “was not present at the last session that was held and whose outputs were published in the official gazette, as he was on leave at the time and did not participate in voting on any of the decisions issued.” It added that “in the interest of accuracy in the information circulated, this clarification was required.”
The comment is the latest in a cascade of reactions after the names of Hezbollah and the Houthis appeared in Issue 4848 of al-Waqa’i al-Iraqiya as part of Decision No. 61 of 2025, prompting controversy and swift efforts by the government to distance itself from the listing.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered “an urgent investigation, identify responsibility, and hold those who fell short accountable,” saying the texts published in the gazette “reflected positions that are not real.” His office said Iraq’s approval of a Malaysian request under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1373 was limited to entities and individuals linked to ISIS and al-Qaida.
The Central Bank’s Committee for Freezing Terrorists’ Assets later said the appearance of Hezbollah and the Houthis on the list was “a mistake” caused by publishing an unedited draft, and confirmed their names “will be removed” in a forthcoming correction in the official gazette.
The Presidency also moved to distance itself on Friday, saying it “denies having knowledge of or ratifying the decision,” and noting that such committee decisions “are not sent to the Presidency of the Republic” for review or approval. It said the presidency learned of the listings only “through social media.”
Public backlash has spilled into the streets. On Friday, Kataib Hezbollah staged a protest outside the Iraq Media Network building in Baghdad to denounce the inclusion of the two groups’ names in al-Waqa’i al-Iraqiya, even though the gazette is issued by the Ministry of Justice, not the network.
The investigation ordered by al-Sudani into how the unedited list reached publication remains ongoing.