Who Is the New President of Iraq?

TEHRAN (Defapress) - During their evening session yesterday, members of the Iraqi Parliament elected Nizar Amidi, a candidate from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), as the country's new president.

Birth and Education

Nizar Amidi was born on February 6, 1968, in the city of Amedi, Dohuk Governorate, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He earned his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mosul. Iraq's new president is fluent in Arabic and Kurdish. He is a member of the Leadership Council of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and a member of the party's political bureau. Nizar Amidi held this position from 2022 to 2024 until he resigned due to party and political activities, and Halo Al-Askari replaced him.

Political Background

Previously, during the presidencies of Fuad Masum, Barham Salih, and briefly during the presidency of Abdul Latif Rashid, Nizar Amidi served as the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic. Additionally, Nizar Amidi has undertaken numerous activities in the field of environmental protection and pollution reduction and is considered one of Iraq's prominent political figures.

Iraq's new president can be described as an Iraqi political and governmental figure with over four decades of diplomatic experience. This experience includes working at the highest levels of the Iraqi government and advising three of the country's presidents, in addition to holding the position of Minister of Environment.

Record of Service

Nizar Amidi has a long record in government administration, fostering national agreements, governance based on the constitution, and international representation. He has also successfully bridged academic and technical expertise on one hand with deep political-diplomatic experience and national experience in building understanding between the central government and the Kurdistan Region on the other.

Iraq's new president is skilled in managing relations between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, fully understands the legal and political complexities of this relationship, and has actively participated in resolving them. Nizar Amidi has strong working relationships with Kurdish parties and the main political forces in Baghdad; relationships that were strengthened during his service alongside President Jalal Talabani, President Fuad Masum, and President Barham Salih. He has demonstrated a high ability to manage political differences, forge agreements, and maintain national unity.

20 Years of Diplomatic Experience

Nizar Amidi has over 20 years of experience at senior governmental and political levels, including roles such as Senior Advisor to the President (with the rank of Minister and Deputy Minister), Minister of Environment, and participation in Arab League summits in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Iraq's new president attended the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris in 2015 and headed the Iraqi delegation at the COP 28 meeting in the UAE in 2023.

Nizar Amidi has participated in the sessions of the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi in 2023 and the UN Water Conference in New York. He has also held high-level official meetings in Geneva, Washington, Tehran, Riyadh, Muscat, and Saint Petersburg. Furthermore, Amidi has been a permanent member of presidential delegations and has played a key role in coordinating foreign policy and presidential diplomacy.