Iraq
Protesters in cars carrying flags of Harakat al-Nujaba in Baghdad on December 5, 2025. Photo: screengrab/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Hundreds of people protested in Baghdad on Friday demanding accountability for a retracted decision to freeze the assets of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis.
Demonstrators gathered on Palestine Street before marching toward the Justice Ministry, which publishes Iraq’s Official Gazette, where the decision first appeared.
The protests were “a message rejecting the prejudiced decision against the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen,” Samer al-Sudani, a member of Harakat al-Nujaba, told Rudaw.
Harakat al-Nujaba, part of the Popular Mobilization Forces’ 12th Brigade, is among the Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups that Washington has accused of carrying out attacks on US interests in Iraq and Syria. They are part of the Iran-led Axis of Resistance that also includes Hezbollah and Ansarullah.
On Thursday, reports emerged that Iraq’s Committee for Freezing Terrorist Assets had ordered the freezing of movable and immovable resources linked to Hezbollah and Yemen’s Ansarullah, commonly known as the Houthis.
Demonstrators accused the government of undermining regional allies.
“The aim is to spread discord among the Shiite forces… to isolate the Shiites of Hezbollah from Iraq, and isolate Yemen so that the axis of resistance will end,” protester Imad al-Basrawi told Rudaw.
“Today we show our brothers in Yemen and Lebanon that we reject the action of the Iraqi government,” said another young protester, speaking with his face covered.
“It is shameful for someone to speak about honorable persons… We all know the basis of the problems is America and Israel,” said another demonstrator, Ali Kadhem.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said the listing of Hezbollah and the Houthis was an “error” and ordered an investigation. Iraq’s presidency also distanced itself from the decision, saying on Friday that it played no role.
The Official Gazette had reported that the committee, which is affiliated with the Council of Ministers, ordered the asset freeze on the grounds of “participation in committing a terrorist act.”
The United States late Friday said it was “disappointed” that Iraq had decided to reverse the freeze.
“Lebanese Hizballah and the Houthis are threats to the region and the world. All countries need to take the actions to ensure their territories are not used by these and other Iranian terrorist proxies to train, raise money, acquire weapons, or conduct attacks,” said a US State Department spokesperson.
Ziyad Ismael from Baghad and Diyar Kurda from Washington contributed to this report .
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