Iraqi Arabs of United States (PGID: PG046490)

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
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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.

Pray Now!

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:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film

1 film

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Mesopotamian Arabic:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Mesopotamian Arabic bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

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

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6

Pray that those who don't know Jesus will recognize Him as the only way to the Father and follow Him in faith.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23

Pray that the gospel will advance and many will acknowledge that all have sinned, fall short of God's glory, and need a Savior to reconcile them to God.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be united in Christ across all differences of ethnicity, social status, and gender.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12

Ask God to give those He sends to cross cultures the discernment they need to recognize the spiritual battle they are fighting. Pray God will protect their faith as they abide in Him.

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

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

17 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population ▼	Strategic Progress Index	Language	Religion
PG046790	Iraqi Shia Arabs	Iraq	19,760,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Shia Islam
PG011777	Iraqi Arabs	Jordan	1,600,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Levantine Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG050210	Iraqi Arabs	Sweden	182,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG042436	Iraqi Arabs	Germany	178,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG046490	Iraqi Arabs	United States	156,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Shia Islam
PG047414	Iraqi Arabs	Canada	86,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Shia Islam
PG050028	Iraqi Arabs	Netherlands	63,500	Engaged yet Unreached	Levantine Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG012188	Iraqi Arabs	Syria	60,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Shia Islam
PG042882	Iraqi Arabs	United Arab Emirates	59,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG011816	Iraqi Arabs	Lebanon	25,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Standard Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG042374	Iraqi Arabs	Belgium	22,000	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG049968	Iraqi Arabs	Greece	17,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG011798	Iraqi Arabs	Kuwait	14,500	Engaged yet Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG042889	Iraqi Arabs	Yemen	10,500	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG011264	Iraqi Arabs	Algeria	8,700	Unengaged and Unreached	Standard Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG011667	Iraqi Arabs	France	6,800	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam
PG042328	Iraqi Arabs	Italy	4,300	Unengaged and Unreached	Mesopotamian Arabic	Sunni Islam

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

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