Iraq Removes Hezbollah and Houthis from Terrorism List

The Iraqi government has formally withdrawn its designation of several groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthi movement, as terrorist organizations. A government spokesperson stated the original listing had "mistakenly included" these parties. Officials did not specify which other groups were removed from the list. The decision was announced following a weekly cabinet meeting in Baghdad. The change alters Iraq's official stance but does not affect separate sanctions imposed by the United States and other nations. The U.S. classifies Hezbollah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group. Iraq's terrorism list was established by a 2005 law. The government has not detailed the process that led to the initial inclusion or the recent correction.