2004: Election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Iraq – “restored after more than thirty years”

…we announce with great joy the election, this Ridván, of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iraq, restored after more than thirty years of stifling oppression, to take its rightful place in the international Bahá’í community. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (Ridván 2004 message to the Bahá’ís of the World; online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)