First group of Iraqi citizens stranded in Egypt arrive in Iraq via Arar border crossing with Saudi Arabia

CAIRO – 15 March 2026: The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday the arrival of the first group of Iraqi nationals, who were stranded abroad in several countries due to the ongoing regional war, from Egypt.

The Ministry added that the crisis cell, in coordination with relevant government agencies in Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as the Iraqi diplomatic missions abroad, helped to bring those citizens home via the Arar border crossing between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry explained that arrangements are underway to repatriate Iraqi citizens stranded in India, particularly those who were receiving treatment there. Several flights are expected to be operated in the coming days.

Also, the Ministry is working to finalize the necessary arrangements for the repatriation of Iraqi citizens stranded in Lebanon via Jordan, in preparation for their return to Iraq.

On March 12, 2026, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced the extension of the closure of Iraqi airspace to civil aviation for an additional three days as part of precautionary measures related to the security situation in the region.