Mr Sahaf, 63, who kept a low profile before the war, has become an unlikely media star. A former foreign minister, who served as Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations, he has never been a member of Saddam Hussein's inner circle.
He was removed as foreign minister in April 2001, after 10 years in the job, and placed in charge of the information ministry after a newspaper owned by Saddam's son Uday criticised him.
