Survivor of 2009 Baghdad bombing describes how Iran used Shia religious symbolism to turn Iraqi leaders into Assad supporters

Entifadh Qanbar, described in the Washington Examiner as a doctoral candidate in statecraft at the Institute of World Politics and a former spokesman for Iraq's deputy prime minister, recounted being near the blast site on the morning of August 19, 2009, when a massive explosion struck Baghdad's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Writing in first person, he described accompanying Ahmed Chalabi to the devastated building and finding Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari alive — Zebari had stepped out of his office seconds before the explosion buried his desk under collapsed marble and concrete. The initial toll was reported as 95 dead and more than 400 injured.

Surveillance footage released that evening, according to Qanbar's account, showed a small blue truck detonating outside the ministry. Investigators traced the vehicle's license plate and determined it had entered Iraq from Syria shortly before the bombing. Prime Minister al-Maliki subsequently stated publicly that "ninety percent of terrorists from different Arabic nationalities infiltrated Iraq through Syrian territory" and demanded Damascus expel extremists using Syria as a base for attacks on Iraq. Assad denied any responsibility.

Qanbar argued that the bombings were part of a broader campaign by "Takfiri" extremists — whom he described as having been hosted, trained, armed, and dispatched by the Assad regime — targeting Iraq's Shia population. He contended the attacks left deep political and communal wounds inside Iraq.