Abd Ar-Rahman Al-Bazzaz - Political Career

Political Career

Al-Bazzaz returned to Iraq after the military overthrew the Qasim administration in 1963. President Abd al-Salam Arif, from 1963 to 1966, appointed Al-Bazzaz to several government positions. He was selected as ambassador to the United Arab Republic, and later he became the ambassador to England. In 1964 - 1965, he formally became the secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. In September 1965, he was assigned as deputy prime minister. After sometime the prime minister tried to start a revolt and seize power. However the prime minister was unsuccessful and President Arif invited Bazzaz to form a new government. Al-Bazzaz was the first civilian prime minister for Iraq.

President Arif died suddenly in April 1966 in a helicopter crash, and al-Bazzaz became acting President for 3 days. A power struggle for the presidency occurred. In the first meeting of the Defense Council and cabinet to elect a president, Al-Bazzaz needed a two-thirds majority to win the presidency. Al-Bazzaz was unsuccessful and Abd al-Rahman Arif was elected as president. He asked Al-Bazzaz to form a new cabinet in April 1966. Then Al-Bazzaz was pressured to resign from a variety of political groups. The leaders of these groups were military officers who were against Al-Bazzaz goal to reduce military salaries, privileges and power.

The Baʿthists and supporters of the President of Egypt charged Al-Bazzaz of being an adversary of Arab socialism and did not truly believe in the planned union of Egypt and Iraq. In January 1969, he was charged by the Baʿthist government of participation in activities against the government. He was tortured and imprisoned for fifteen months. In 1970, he was released from jail because he became ill and he went to London for treatment. He died there in 1973.