UK appoints Irfan Siddiq as new ambassador to Iraq

NEWSROOM — The British Foreign Office announced Tuesday the appointment of Irfan Siddiq as the new UK ambassador to Iraq, replacing Stephen Hitchen. Siddiq will officially assume the role in March 2025.

In a press release, the British Foreign Office confirmed Siddiq’s appointment, stating, “Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq in succession to Mr Stephen Hitchen, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.”

Siddiq, a seasoned diplomat, currently serves as the British High Commissioner in Nicosia, a position he has held since 2022. His diplomatic career, which began when he joined the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in 1998, includes high-profile roles such as Ambassador to Sudan and Azerbaijan, as well as Deputy Head of Mission in Baghdad and Damascus.

Siddiq has also served as Director for East and Central Africa at the FCDO, Global Advocacy Director at Plan International, and Head of the Arab Partnership Department. His career has taken him to various international postings, including New Delhi, Cairo, and Washington, and he has undergone full-time training in Arabic and Greek.

Stephen Hitchen was appointed as the UK’s Ambassador to Iraq in June 2023 and officially assumed his role in July 2023, succeeding Mark Edward Bryson-Richardson.