Police and soldiers joined in the celebrations, firing their assault rifles in the air, ignoring an appeal against gunfire from the military chiefs.
Politicians wasted no time in trying for propaganda gain, heaping praise on "The Lions of the Two Rivers" as a symbol of Iraqi unity, ignoring their own failure to bridge the sectarian divide in Iraq that many see as a result of narrow political agendas.
Nouri al-Maliki, the embattled Shiite prime minister, led all others.
He dispatched a close adviser to represent him in Wednesday's semi-final clash in Kuala Lumpur.
Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told state television the prime minister was trying to speak to the players individually to congratulate them.
President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, proudly announced that he was the first to congratulate the team on its victory.
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