Jalal Talabani

Iraqi politician (1933-2017)

  • Fame57.6
  • Momentum0.0
  • Wikipedia17.9K
Source-basedStable
Lived 1933–2017, aged 84
PoliticiansPolitician
  • Wikipedia
    64 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1933–2017
    Aged 84
  • Awards
    1
    recognised work
Summary
Updated 2026-06-10

First Kurd to lead Iraq as a nation-state. Talabani held the presidency for nine years after decades spent fighting for Kurdish autonomy — then governing alongside the same forces he'd once opposed.

Biography

About

Born in 1933, Talabani founded the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and spent half a century pushing for Kurdish rights and democratic reform inside Iraq. After the 2003 invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, he joined the Interim Iraq Governing Council and became a central figure in the transition. In 2005 he was elected Iraq's sixth president, the first Kurd to hold the office, and served until 2014. His tenure marked a shift from insurgent to institution-builder, navigating the country's sectarian fractures from the top. He died in October 2017.

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Jalal Talabani

Jalal Talabani
said
The building of this site would not be possible without the courageous decision by President Bush to liberate Iraq.
On the United States building a new embassy in the Green Zone of Iraq — reported in Chelsea J. Carter, Associated Press (January 6, 2009)
Jalal Talabani
said
The brutal regime of the dictator fell … the regime that ruled Iraq for decades, the decades of darkness. The decades that were of tyranny.
Kuwait Times staff (March 20, 2008) " War ended era of torture, tyranny: Iraqi president", Kuwait Times.
Jalal Talabani
said
This is a historic visit full of love and brotherhood that sends the message that Iraq and Iran are now having the best relationship.
At a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on a visit to Iraq — reported in Liz Sly, Nadeem Majeed (March 3, 2008) "In Iraq,
Jalal Talabani
said
It was an agreement between (former Iraqi president) Saddam (Hussein) and the shah of Iran (ousted in 1979) and not between Iraq and Iran.
On the Algiers accord document — reported in Agence France-Presse staff (December 26, 2007) "Iran insists on border deal with Iraq", Agence
Jalal Talabani
said
We are not denying that Turkey has a right to defend itself from extremists but some of its actions are not serving any democratic purpose in Turkey or in Iraq.
Abdel Hamid Zebari (December 25, 2007) "Turkish planes strike inside Iraq: Kurdish official", Agence France-Presse.
Where to find them

Platforms

By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Stable
57.6
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Historical24.6
Source confidence65.0
Completeness65.0
Global rank
Country rank
Category rank
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence