Iraqi PM Realigns Security Leadership, Appoints Qasim al-Araji as Top Advisor

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a significant restructuring of Iraq's top security echelon, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has appointed veteran official Qasim al-Araji as his dedicated Security Advisor, marking a new phase in the government's management of strategic defense portfolios.

The appointment was confirmed on Saturday by Aras Zaidi, the Director of Media for al-Araji's office, during a statement to Kurdistan24. "Qasim al-Araji has been officially appointed as the Security Advisor to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and has assumed his new duties as of today," the director stated.

The move is part of a sweeping realignment within the nation's most sensitive intelligence and security institutions.

Al-Araji's transition follows the formal handover of his previous post as National Security Advisor, a powerful role he had held since 2020 under the administration of former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

According to reports, al-Araji stepped down from the National Security Council on May 18 before being tapped for the new advisory position. He has been succeeded by Qasim al-Aboudi, who now leads the council.

During the official handover ceremony, Iraq's Prime Minister al-Zaidi commended al-Araji's professional tenure and outlined the strategic imperatives driving the current reshuffle. 

The Prime Minister emphasized the absolute necessity of maintaining focus on high-level security files to fortify the independence of Iraq's security decision-making and aggressively safeguard national sovereignty.

By elevating al-Araji to his immediate advisory circle, al-Zaidi appears intent on utilizing the former advisor's extensive institutional memory while consolidating executive oversight over the country's complex security architecture.

The reorganization extends beyond the National Security Council.

The Prime Minister's office also announced a leadership change at the National Security Service (NSS), an agency critical to internal intelligence and stability operations. Basim al-Badri has officially assumed the role of NSS chief, succeeding Abdul Karim al-Basri.

During the NSS handover ceremony, Prime Minister al-Zaidi highlighted the vital role the service plays in protecting Iraq against domestic and transnational threats.

Al-Badri, an official holding a doctorate in agricultural economics, is a notable political figure in Baghdad; prior to the formation of the current cabinet, he was widely circulated as a potential candidate for the premiership itself.

The simultaneous leadership changes across these critical institutions indicate a deliberate effort by the al-Zaidi administration to reshape the national security apparatus early in its tenure.

By installing new leadership at the NSS and the National Security Council, while retaining experienced figures like al-Araji in specialized advisory roles, the government is signaling a commitment to both institutional continuity and strategic reform.

As Iraq continues to navigate a deeply volatile regional environment and complex domestic challenges, the newly appointed security leadership will be tasked with executing the Prime Minister's vision for a more autonomous, resilient, and sovereign state defense structure.