The coup ended Iraq's Hashemite monarchy, established a republic, and reoriented the country away from Western alliances toward Soviet alignment.
Key Facts
- Date of coup
- 14 July 1958
- Monarchy overthrown
- Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq
- King executed
- King Faisal II
- New head of government
- Brigadier Abd al-Karim Qasim (Prime Minister)
- Baghdad Pact withdrawal
- March 1959
- Hashemite Arab Federation dissolved
- Established only 6 months prior to coup
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Widespread Arab nationalism, economic discontent, and resentment of Western influence—intensified by the Baghdad Pact of 1955, British-backed Suez intervention, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Said's unpopular policies—drove secret opposition organizing within the Iraqi military, inspired by Egypt's 1952 Free Officers Movement and the 1958 formation of Nasser's United Arab Republic.
On 14 July 1958, Iraqi Free Officers led by Brigadier Abd al-Karim Qasim and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif diverted army units meant for Jordan and seized Baghdad. King Faisal II and Crown Prince Abd al-Ilah were executed at Al-Rehab Palace. Prime Minister Nuri al-Said was captured and shot the following day. A Revolutionary Council proclaimed the Iraqi Republic and adopted a provisional constitution in late July.
The Hashemite dynasty in Iraq was extinguished and the short-lived Hashemite Arab Federation with Jordan dissolved. Qasim became Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, while Arif took the role of Deputy Prime Minister. By March 1959, Iraq had withdrawn from the Baghdad Pact and aligned itself with the Soviet Union, fundamentally shifting the country's foreign policy orientation.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Abd al-Karim Qasim, Abdul Salam Arif.
Side B
1 belligerent
King Faisal II, Nuri al-Said.