The Iraqi Intifada (Arabic: انتفاضة العراق) was a series of national strikes and violent protests against the ruling

Hashemite monarchy The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921� ...

and the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty. Inspired by the Egyptian Revolution and Iranian Prime Minister

Mohammad Mosaddegh Mohammad Mosaddegh ( fa, محمد مصدق, ; 16 June 1882 – 5 March 1967) was an Iranian politician, author, and lawyer who served as the 35th Prime Minister of Iran from 1951 to 1953, after appointment by the 16th Majlis. He was a member of ...

's nationalization of oil, the revolutionaries wanted to force

Faisal II Faisal II ( ar, الملك فيصل الثاني ''el-Melik Faysal es-Sânî'') (2 May 1935 – 14 July 1958) was the last King of Iraq. He reigned from 4 April 1939 until July 1958, when he was killed during the 14 July Revolution. This regici ...

's abdication, transform the state into a republic, and assert Iraq's full independence from Britain by assuming control over its own foreign affairs. Port workers in

Basra Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is han ...

went on strike on 23 August 1952. Students at Iraq's College of Pharmacy followed suit on 26 October. The Iraqi Communist Party, which had been behind the

1948 riots Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form Britis ...

, played a leading role in the disturbances. Though the protesters were emphatically anti-monarchical, they were positively disposed to the military, a symbol of national unity and Iraqi independence. Faisal II's uncle, ruling Regent

'Abd al-Ilah 'Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz, ( ar, عبد الإله; also written Abdul Ilah or Abdullah; 14 November 1913 – 14 July 1958) was a cousin and brother-in-law of King Ghazi of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and was regent for his first-cousin once r ...

, replaced

Mustafa Mahmud al-Umari Mustafa Mahmood Al-Umari (also Mustafa Mahmood Al-Omari) ( Arabic: مصطفى محمود العمري; 1894 – 1962) from Mosul, Iraq (Sunni-Arab) who became an Iraqi statesman. He served as prime minister from 9 July 1952 until 22 November 195 ...

with General

Nureddin Mahmud Nureddin Mahmud (1899–1981) ( ar, نورالدين محمود) was the prime minister of Iraq The prime minister of Iraq is the head of government of Iraq. On 27 October 2022, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani became the incumbent prime minister. ...

on 23 November but he made no concessions to the protesters. Protesters denounced Mahmud and demanded his resignation in favor of the National Democratic Party's

Kamil al-Chadirchi Kamil is a name used in a number of languages. Kamil () is a Polish, Czech, and Slovak given name, equivalent to the Italian Camillo, Spanish/Portuguese Camilo and French Camille. It is derived from Camillus,Bakr Sidqi Bakr Sidqi al-Askari (; 1890 – 11 August 1937) was an Iraqi general of Kurdish origin, born in 1890 in Kirkuk and assassinated on 11 August 1937, at Mosul. Early life Bakr Sidqi was born to Kurdish family either in ‘Askar,Edmund Ghareeb, ...

's Economic Minister after the 1936 revolution. Mahmud cracked down, instituting martial law and a curfew, shutting down political parties and newspapers, and detaining leading protesters. In 1953,

Jamil al-Midfai Jamil Al Midfai (Arabic: جميل المدفعي; (1958 – 1890)) was an Iraqi politician. He served as the country's prime minister on five separate occasions. Biography Born in the town of Mosul, Midfai served in the Ottoman army during Wo ...

, a civilian politician, was elected to succeed Mahmud. In May, Faisal II became an adult and assumed the role and responsibilities of the king. In 1958, Army officers overthrew the monarchy in a coup d'état, murdering the royal family.

References

{{Reflist 1952 in Iraq 1952 protests Arab rebellions in Iraq Conflicts in 1952 Intifadas Protests in Iraq