# Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region

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The Regional Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region, officially the Regional Command of the Iraqi Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, was the highest decision-making organ of the Ba'ath Party organization in Iraq. The Regional Command has normally had 19–21 members throughout its history. When in power, the Directorate of Security Affairs was responsible for the security of the president and the senior members of the Regional Command.
The Iraqi Regional Branch was organized on the Marxist–Leninist model, with a small elite, the Regional Command, controlling the party from the top down. As in the Soviet Union, the party leadership became the government. While the Regional Command was the de facto highest legislative and executive organ of state and party, the Revolutionary Command Council was according to the 1970 Constitution of Iraq "the supreme body of the state." In theory, the Regional Command was to be subordinate to the National Command.

## Heads

| No. | No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Tenure | Tenure | Tenure |
| No. | No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration |
| 1 | | | Fuad al-Rikabi فؤاد الركابي (1932–1971) | 1954 | 29 November 1959 | 5 years |
| 2 | | | Talib El-Shibib طالب الشبيب (1934–1997) | 2 February 1960 | May 1962 | 2 years, 2 months |
| 3 | | | Ali Salih al-Sa'di علي صالح السعدي (1928–1977) | May 1962 | 25 September 1963 | 1 year, 4 months |
| 4 | | | Hamdi Abd al-Majid حمدي عبد المجيد | 25 September 1963 | 11 November 1963 | 47 days |
| 5 | | | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr أحمد حسن البكر (1914–1982) | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 2 months |
| 6 | | | Saddam Hussein صدام حسين‎ (1937–2006) | February 1964 | October 1966 | 2 years, 8 months |
| (5) | | | Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr أحمد حسن البكر (1914–1982) | October 1966 | 16 July 1979 | 12 years, 9 months |
| (6) | | | Saddam Hussein صدام حسين‎ (1937–2006) | 16 July 1979 | 30 December 2006 † | 27 years, 167 days |
| 7 | | | Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri عزت إبراهيم الدوري (1942–2020) | 3 January 2007 | 26 October 2020 † | 13 years, 297 days |
| 8 | | | Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed محمد يونس الاحمد (born 1949) | 3 January 2007 | Incumbent | 18 years, 37 days |
| No. | No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Tenure | Tenure | Tenure |
| No. | No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Duration |
| Unknown (pre–1966) |||||||
| 1 | | | Saddam Hussein صدام حسين‎ (1937–2006) | October 1966 | 16 July 1979 | 12 years, 9 months |
| 2 | | | Taha Yassin Ramadan طه ياسين رمضان (1938–2007) | 16 July 1979 | September 1991 | 12 years, 1 month |
| 3 | | | Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri عزت إبراهيم الدوري (1942–2020) | September 1991 | 3 January 2007 | 15 years, 4 months |
| Unknown (2007–present) |||||||

### Timeline
#### Deputy Secretary of the Regional Command
## Members

Members of the 1st–12th Regional Commands :
| Name | Took office | Left office | Term(s) | Duration |
| Fuad al-Rikabi | December 1955 | 29 November 1959 | 2 | 364 days |
| Shams al-Din Kazim | December 1955 | 1957 | 1 | 31 days |
| Faysal Habib Khayzaran | December 1955 | 1957 | 1 | 31 days |
| Faysal Habib Khayzaran | 2 February 1960 | May 1962 | 2 | 2 years, 88 days |
| Khalid Ali Salih al-Dulaymi | 1957 | July 1960 | 2 | 3 years, 182 days |
| Midhat Ibrahim Jumah | 1957 | 29 November 1959 | 1 | 2 years, 332 days |
| Abdallah Rikabi | 1957 | 29 November 1959 | 1 | 2 years, 332 days |
| Talib El-Shibib | 1957 | 25 September 1963 | 4 | 6 years, 267 days |
| Talib El-Shibib | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Karim Mahmud Shantaf | 1957 | 29 November 1959 | 1 | 2 years, 332 days |
| Karim Mahmud Shantaf | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Ayyad Said Thabit | 1957 | 29 November 1959 | 1 | 2 years, 332 days |
| Ali Salih al-Sadi | 2 February 1960 | 11 November 1963 | 4 | 3 years, 282 days |
| Sa'dun Hammadi | 2 February 1960 | 25 September 1963 | 1 | 3 years, 235 days |
| Sa'dun Hammadi | June 1982 | September 1991 | 1 | 9 years, 92 days |
| Sa'dun Hammadi | 1994 | 18 May 2001 | 1 | 7 years, 137 days |
| Hazim Jawad | 2 February 1960 | February 1964 | 5 | 3 years, 364 days |
| Khalid Ali Salih al-Dulaymi | 2 February 1960 | July 1960 | 1 | 150 days |
| Hamdi Abd al-Majid | May 1962 | 11 November 1963 | 2 | 1 year, 194 days |
| Hani Fakiki | May 1962 | 11 November 1963 | 2 | 1 year, 194 days |
| Hamid Khalkhal | May 1962 | 11 November 1963 | 2 | 1 year, 194 days |
| Muhsin Shaykh Radi | May 1962 | 11 November 1963 | 2 | 1 year, 194 days |
| Abu Talib al-Hashimi | 25 September 1963 | 11 November 1963 | 1 | 47 days |
| Adnan Qassab | 25 September 1963 | 11 November 1963 | 1 | 47 days |
| Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr | 11 November 1963 | 16 July 1979 | 5 | 15 years, 247 days |
| Abd al-Sattar Abd al-Latif | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Muhammad Mihdawi | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Salih Mahdi Ammash | 11 November 1963 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 82 days |
| Mundhir Wandawi | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Tahir Yahya | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Ali Abd al-Karim | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Faiq Bazzaz | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Tariq Aziz | 1 August 1965 | 9 April 2003 | 9 | 37 years, 251 days |
| Abd al-Sattar Duri | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Fuad Shakir Mustafa | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Karim Mahmud Shantaf | 11 November 1963 | 1967 | 1 | 3 years, 51 days |
| Salim Sultan | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Hassan Hajj Waddai | 11 November 1963 | February 1964 | 1 | 82 days |
| Saddam Hussein | February 1964 | 9 April 2003 | 8 | 39 years, 67 days |
| Ahmad Taha Azzuz | February 1964 | October 1965 | 3 | 2 years, 242 days |
| Mohammed Mahjoub al-Douri | February 1964 | October 1966 | 3 | 2 years, 242 days |
| Mohammed Mahjoub al-Douri | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Abdullah Sallum al-Samarra'i | February 1964 | March 1970 | 3 | 6 years, 28 days |
| Abd al-Khaliq al-Samarra'i | February 1964 | 1973 | 3 | 8 years, 335 days |
| Hardan al-Tikriti | February 1964 | October 1966 | 1 | 2 years, 242 days |
| Abd al-Karim al-Shaykhli | October 1966 | 1971 | 2 | 4 years, 92 days |
| Murtada al-Hadithi | October 1966 | January 1974 | 2 | 7 years, 92 days |
| Taha Yassin Ramadan | October 1966 | 9 April 2003 | 8 | 36 years, 190 days |
| Salah Omar al-Ali | October 1966 | 1970 | 2 | 3 years, 92 days |
| Izzat Mustafa | October 1966 | November 1968 | 1 | 2 years, 31 days |
| Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri | November 1966 | 9 April 2003 | | 36 years, 190 days |
| Samir Abdul Aziz al-Najim | November 1968 | 1971 | 2 | 2 years, 92 days |
| Abd al-Wahhab Karim | November 1968 | September 1969 | 1 | 335 days |
| Tayih 'Abd al-Karim | January 1974 | June 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Adnan al-Hamdani | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Ghanim 'Abd al-Jalil | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Izzat Mustafa | January 1974 | January–March 1977 | 1 | 3 years, 59 days |
| Fulayyih Hasan Jasim | January 1974 | March 1977 | 1 | 3 years, 59 days |
| Abdullah Fadhil Samarra'i | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Muhammad Ayish Hamad | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Muhyi Abdul-Hussein Mashhadi | January 1974 | 16 July 1979 | 1 | 5 years, 196 days |
| Tahir al-Ani | January 1974 | September 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Abd al-Fattah al-Yasin | January 1974 | September 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Ja'far Qasim Hammudi | January 1974 | June 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Hikmat Ibrahim al-Azzawi | January 1974 | June 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Burhan Mustafa | January 1974 | June 1982 | 2 | 8 years, 151 days |
| Adnan Khairallah | January 1974 | 4 May 1989 | 3 | 15 years, 123 days |
| Na'im Haddad | January 1974 | September 1991 | 3 | 17 years, 243 days |
| Hasan Ali | January 1974 | September 1991 | 3 | 17 years, 243 days |
| Sa'dun Shakir | January 1974 | September 1991 | 3 | 17 years, 243 days |
| Sahdi Mahdi Salih | June 1982 | 1994 | 2 | 11 years, 214 days |
| Mohammed Hamza Zubeidi | June 1982 | September 1991 | 1 | 9 years, 92 days |
| Samir Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab | June 1982 | September 1991 | 1 | 9 years, 92 days |
| Abd al-Hasan Rahi Majhul al-Firawn | June 1982 | September 1991 | 1 | 9 years, 92 days |
| Abd al-Ghanii Abd al-Ghafur | June 1982 | 18 May 2001 | 3 | 18 years, 351 days |
| Kamil Yasin Rashid | June 1982 | 18 May 2001 | 3 | 18 years, 351 days |
| Mizban Khadr al-Hadi | June 1982 | 9 April 2003 | 4 | 20 years, 312 days |
| Ali Hassan al-Majid | June 1982 | 9 April 2003 | 4 | 20 years, 312 days |
| Latif Nusayyif Jasim | June 1982 | September 1991 | 1 | 9 years, 92 days |
| Latif Nusayyif Jasim | 1994 | 9 April 2003 | 2 | 9 years, 98 days |
| Khadar Abd al-Aziz Hussein | September 1991 | 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 122 days |
| Ahmad Abd al-Rahman | September 1991 | 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 122 days |
| Nuri Faysal Shahir | September 1991 | 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 122 days |
| Mizhir Matni al-Awwad | September 1991 | 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 122 days |
| Fawzi Khalaf | September 1991 | 1994 | 1 | 2 years, 122 days |
| Mohammed Hamza Zubeidi | September 1991 | 18 May 2001 | 2 | 9 years, 259 days |
| Muhammad al-Ahmad | September 1991 | 18 May 2001 | 2 | 9 years, 259 days |
| Muhammad Zimam Abd al-Razzaq | September 1991 | 9 April 2003 | 3 | 11 years, 220 days |
| Abd Al-Baqi Abd Karim Al-Sadun | 1994 | 18 May 2001 | 1 | 7 years, 137 days |
| Fadil Ibrahim al-Mashadani | 1994 | 18 May 2001 | 1 | 7 years, 137 days |
| Samir Abdul Aziz al-Najim | 1994 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 7 years, 98 days |
| Aziz Abdullah | 1994 | 9 April 2003 | 2 | 7 years, 120 days |
| Aziz Saleh Nuhmah | 1994 | 9 April 2003 | 2 | 7 years, 120 days |
| Qusay Hussein | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 326 days |
| Yahya Abdullah al-Abudi | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 343 days |
| Uqlah Abd Saqar | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 343 days |
| Rashid Ta'an Kazim | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 343 days |
| Fadhil Mahmud Gharib | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 343 days |
| Muhsin Khudayr al-Khafaji | 18 May 2001 | 9 April 2003 | 1 | 1 year, 343 days |