Against which country did Iraqis rebel before declaring Iraq a republic in 1958?

Before declaring Iraq a republic in 1958, Iraqis rebelled against the Hashemite monarchy that was in power. This monarchy was installed by the British after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire post-World War I. The coup that took place on July 14, 1958, was led by members of the Iraqi military and is known as the 14 July Revolution or the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état. The revolution resulted in the overthrow of King Faisal II and the establishment of a republic. The leading figures of the revolt were Brigadier General Abdul Karim Qassim and Colonel Abdul Salam Arif.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was established under British mandate in the 1920s following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I. The British helped to install Faisal I, from the Hashemite family, as the first King of Iraq in 1921. Despite Iraq's official independence in 1932, the country remained under strong British influence, and the monarchy was seen by many Iraqis as a puppet regime put in place to serve British interests. Dissatisfaction with the monarchy grew over the years due to issues such as widespread poverty, underdevelopment, and the perceived lack of political freedom.

The coup in 1958 ended the monarchy, and Brigadier General Abdul Karim Qassim took power as Prime Minister in the new republic. Initially, the coup was widely popular as it promised land reform, greater political freedoms, and an end to foreign influence. However, Iraq would continue to experience political instability, coups, and changes of government in the years that followed. This period also marked the beginning of Iraq's move out of the sphere of British influence and into a phase where the country would become more aligned with the broader Arab nationalist and socialist movements of the time.