The Iraqi Arabs of United States

The Iraqi Arabs of United States, numbering approximately 156,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Arabic-speaking people of Iraq descended from Arab and indigenous Mesopotamian populations, distinguished by their Mesopotamian Arabic language and the cultural traditions of historic Mesopotamia. They mostly adhere to Shia Islam and Mesopotamian Arabic is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Arab, Iraqi

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Arab Peoples
Country: United States
People Cluster: Arab, Levant
Primary Language(s): Mesopotamian Arabic (acm)
Primary Religion(s): Shia Islam
Population: 156,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG046490
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Iraqi Arabs of United States

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Shia Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

53%
%
Shia Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Mesopotamian Arabic
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Arabic, Mesopotamian Speakers

Media Resources in Mesopotamian Arabic:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Mesopotamian Arabic:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Mesopotamian Arabic bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Iraqi Arabs are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Iraqi Arabs:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Iraqi Arabs of United States

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
readTitus 3:3

Pray for those who seek worldly pleasures instead of God to flee from sin and choose God’s goodness and lovingkindness by placing their faith in Jesus.

Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia."
readRomans 16:5

Pray for houses to be meeting places for Christians and that God will advance the gospel and grow His Church through natural familial and community relationships.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
readJohn 14:2-3

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will persevere in hope, remembering that Jesus went to prepare a place for them to be with Him for eternity!

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”
readActs 17:32

Ask God to give those He sends to cross cultures wisdom and discernment as they engage in spiritual conversations with those who are curious about the gospel.

Arab, Iraqi Across Countries (ROP3 - 104056) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

17 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulationStrategic Progress IndexLanguage ▼Religion
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsLebanon25,500Unengaged and UnreachedStandard ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsAlgeria8,700Unengaged and UnreachedStandard ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsGermany178,000Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsSweden182,000Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsGreece17,000Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsCanada86,000Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicShia Islam
Iraqi Shia ArabsIraqi Shia ArabsIraq19,750,000Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicShia Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsUnited States156,000Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicShia Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsYemen10,500Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsUnited Arab Emirates59,000Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsBelgium22,000Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsItaly4,300Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsSyria60,500Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicShia Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsKuwait14,500Engaged yet UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsFrance6,800Unengaged and UnreachedMesopotamian ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsJordan1,600,000Engaged yet UnreachedLevantine ArabicSunni Islam
Iraqi ArabsIraqi ArabsNetherlands63,500Engaged yet UnreachedLevantine ArabicSunni Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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