Iraq's presidency: No knowledge of Hezbollah, Houthis listing
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Friday, Iraq’s presidency denied having any role in, knowledge of, or approval for a decision that designated Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, freezing their assets.
In a statement, the presidency clarified that it does not receive such measures – only parliament-approved laws and presidential decrees for review, approval, and publication. The president learned of the designation through social media, prompting the clarification.
The designation had appeared in the Official Gazette, issue 4848 dated November 17, 2025, after being issued through the Committee for Freezing Terrorist Assets under UN Security Council counterterrorism resolutions. Iraqi authorities then moved quickly to reverse it operationally, with an official clarification and a Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) document confirming Baghdad’s approval applies only to entities linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has ordered an urgent investigation into the decision, which triggered controversy among political factions aligned with the “Axis of Resistance" – a coalition of Iran-backed armed groups.
Legal experts told Shafaq News that decisions published in the Gazette can be corrected, though they noted the measure was based on a UN classification that carries binding international force. Two Iraqi officials noted that the reversal followed pressure from Iran-aligned political parties and armed groups.
