On Friday, hundreds of Iraqis gathered outside the Kuwaiti consulate in Basra to protest the Khor Abdullah maritime agreement. They condemned the deal as a “surrender of maritime sovereignty,” reflecting widespread public anger.
Ali al-Abbadi, a protest representative, told Shafaq News Agency that the agreement’s impact on Iraq’s maritime boundaries remains highly controversial. He explained that while many Iraqis see the deal as humiliating and a violation of Iraq’s territorial waters, the government considers it an unavoidable outcome based on UN Security Council Resolution 833 from 1993.
Furthermore, al-Abbadi highlighted that the Federal Supreme Court ruled on the matter in September 2023. The court declared the 2013 law ratifying the agreement unconstitutional. This ruling initially gave hope to protesters and lawmakers alike.
However, public outrage reignited after Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, visited Kuwait and claimed the court later rejected the same legal challenge. According to Zidan, the challenge lacked constitutional and legal grounds, contradicting the previous decision.
Meanwhile, most Iraqi lawmakers continue to support the Federal Supreme Court’s September 2023 ruling. MP Amer Abdul-Jabbar informed Shafaq News that 194 out of 329 parliamentarians signed a petition to uphold the court’s decision. This majority backing demonstrates strong parliamentary opposition to the Khor Abdullah agreement.
In addition, the protesters emphasized that safeguarding Iraq’s maritime sovereignty is vital to national pride and security. Many view the government’s acceptance of the deal as a failure to protect the country’s rightful boundaries.
Earlier, a majority of Iraqi lawmakers voiced support for the Federal Supreme Court’s decision to void the agreement. MP Amer Abdul-Jabbar told Shafaq News that 194 out of 329 parliamentarians had signed a petition addressed to the head of the court, endorsing the September 2023 ruling. The ongoing protests and political debate highlight the deep divisions over Iraq’s maritime sovereignty and the future of its border agreements. The unrest signals growing public demand for full control over Iraq’s maritime borders and resources.
