Abstract
Media has the power to shape a country’s image and influence public perceptions. The Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Iraq established diplomatic relations in 1995, and since then, both countries have been working to improve their ties. This article examines the recent media representation of the Republic of Iraq in Kazakhstani media from 2017 to 2025. The purpose of this article is to analyze how the Republic of Iraq is perceived in Kazakh media and what kind of image is being created, using both quantitative and qualitative content analysis conducted manually.The theoretical framework is grounded in the concept of image theory, providing a literature review on the perception of the Republic of Iraq abroad, and highlighting the background of bilateral relations. The findings, derived from an empirical content analysis of Kazakh news outlets, indicate that Kazakh media predominantly presents a negative image of Iraq.