On Saturday, August 20, 2022, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry announced the recall of its ambassador to Jordan, Haider Al-Adhari, hours after Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama posted photos of him with the ambassador and his wife, which were described as inappropriate for those who works in the diplomatic corps.
In a statement via Twitter, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf said the ministry had “brought” Ambassador Haider al-Adhari to Baghdad. Earlier, the spokesman said that the Foreign Ministry, in another statement, “will take appropriate action regarding the photographs of the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.”
Lebanese artist Ragheb Alama posted photos of his private meeting with the Iraqi Ambassador and his wife, Maisam Al-Rubaye, thanking them for their welcome, saying: “I was very happy to meet you in a wonderful atmosphere close to the heart, filled with love and joy.” While the photos sparked widespread controversy on social media, the ambassador closed his Twitter account due to the criticism he received.
It comes as MP Hassan al-Asadi has called for the ambassador’s dismissal and trial for violating the constitution, current legislation and national values that forbid these actions, which he called “shameful” and “obscene.” While former MP Mishan al-Juburi considered the attack on the ambassador and the angry reaction mainly directed against the political system as a whole. The incident involving the summons of the Iraqi ambassador to Jordan comes about a month after the Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned its ambassador to Beirut, Haider al-Barrak, because the latter had used a grenade launcher while hunting in the Beqaa region of Lebanon, sparking outrage and condemnation. A statement with clarifications, then an announcement about the recall of the ambassador and his return to Baghdad.
