ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The former director of Basra International Airport, Hassan al-Tamimi, said he was removed from his post not because of poor performance but because he refused repeated pressure to reinstate staff who had previously been dismissed for issues with their behavior and job performance.

In a voice message obtained by The New Region on Saturday, Tamimi said the pressure began soon after he took office. He said he was pushed to make “unplanned” decisions, but he delayed taking action and tried to follow fair and professional standards. This led to repeated efforts to remove him, he said, which eventually succeeded.

Tamimi said that during his time as director, he worked to improve the airport and raise the level of services to match its importance as a gateway for Basra and Iraq. He insisted that he was committed to his duties and made sure his decisions were based on fairness and free from outside influence.

He also denied claims on social media that he had installed listening devices inside the airport. He called those claims “false and made up” and accused certain pages of trying to harm his reputation and mislead the public. He said these pages were part of a campaign to damage him personally and had no evidence to support their claims.

Tamimi added that some of those spreading the rumors were trying to confuse the public and make his dismissal look justified. He stressed that all his work followed proper legal and administrative rules.

He said he plans to take legal action against those who harmed his reputation and will go to court to defend himself. He also thanked those who supported him during this time and said he was speaking out to respect public opinion and clarify what happened.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iraq’s Ministry of Transport removed Hassan al-Tamimi from his position as director of Basra International Airport after a wave of complaints from staff and a chaotic scene involving stranded passengers.

A security source on Thursday told The New Region that employees accused him of poor leadership and said the airport was “falling apart.” The ministry appointed Hussein Ali Abdul-Hamid as acting director.

Basra Airport is currently Iraq’s only operational air gateway due to regional tensions following Israel’s offensive on Iran.