Iraq

Is Iraq safe to visit?

No, by the standards of the US and UK governments. The US State Department rates all of Iraq Level 4 (do not travel for any reason) because of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, crime and weak health care. The UK advises against all travel to much of the north and west and against all but essential travel everywhere else, including the Kurdistan Region.

Three things drive the risk: attacks by Iran-aligned militias and Iran itself on anything linked to the US, ISIS cells in the north and west, and widespread guns. Everyday risks are high too, with WHO estimating 21.5 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. We score Iraq 42, below Iran at 43 and well below Jordan, with low confidence because crime data is more than ten years old.

Militias, drones and the Iran war

The US says anti-American militias threaten US citizens and international companies, and that attacks with improvised explosive devices, rockets and drones happen in many areas, including major cities. Recent targets include hotels, universities, energy sites, airports and diplomatic buildings.

The 2026 war between the US, Israel and Iran brought that risk to Kurdistan, which had long been the calmer part of the country. Between 28 February and 20 April, the Kurdistan Regional Government documented 809 drone and missile attacks on its territory, killing 20 civilians and wounding 123, Shafaq News reported; 477 hit Erbil province. Iran-aligned Iraqi factions claimed many of them. Iran's Revolutionary Guard also struck camps of Iranian-Kurdish opposition groups near Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says such strikes continue around Rawanduz and Koya.

On 15 and 17 July, coalition air defences shot down drone swarms aimed at Erbil, where the US has a consulate and an air base; no one was hurt. The FCDO says Iranian strikes across the region, including Kurdistan, have continued since 8 July. Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports can close at short notice.

ISIS, kidnapping and the no-go provinces

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks anywhere in Iraq, but most often where ISIS was strong: Anbar, Diyala, Ninawa, Salah al-Din and Kirkuk. Foreigners are high-value targets, and fake vehicle checkpoints have been used to launch attacks. Areas taken back from ISIS still contain explosive remnants and improvised devices, and landmines kill people every year near the borders.

The UK advises against all travel to:

• Anbar west of Ramadi, Diyala (except Baqubah), Kirkuk, Ninawa and Salah al-Din provinces;
• Jurf al-Sakr in Babil and Sadr City in Baghdad;
• within 5 km of the Iranian border in Wasit, Maysan and Basra, and of the Saudi and Kuwaiti borders.

It says the kidnap threat is high throughout Iraq, from ISIS and other groups, for ideological, financial or political reasons, and that tourists, aid workers, oil workers and journalists are all seen as targets.

Roads, heat and health care

WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 21.5 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, the figure we score on. Its older series rose from 20.4 in 2017 to 27.3 in 2019, so the real toll may be higher. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls road travel dangerous and warns of carjacking. Do not drive at night outside cities.

Summer heat is a serious health risk. In Basra the daily maximum passed 45°C on 69 days in 2025 and peaked at 50.6°C on 17 July, according to ERA5 reanalysis data. Dust storms in spring and summer cut visibility and ground flights, and flash floods between November and March have killed people.

The US says emergency and intensive care are limited and probably unavailable outside the largest cities. The FCDO lists Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, spread by ticks and contact with livestock, and malaria as health risks. Insurance that covers medical evacuation is essential, and many policies exclude Iraq altogether.

Laws that catch visitors out

Always carry your passport: ID checks at checkpoints are routine, and a lost passport must be advertised in two local newspapers before you can get an exit stamp. Iraq applies the death penalty for crimes including drug trafficking and smuggling antiquities. Since July 2024, same-sex relationships carry 10 to 15 years in prison. Fathers can impose travel bans on family members, including children with British passports.

If you have to travel to Iraq

• Arrange secure transport and accommodation in advance; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary suggests advice from a private security company.
• Avoid protests, political gatherings and areas near military bases, especially in Erbil and Baghdad.
• Keep food, water and medicine for several days in case you have to shelter in place.
• Plan trips for the cooler months and carry water on every road journey.
• Call 911 for police and 122 for an ambulance.

How we scored it

Conflict (15) is the weakest factor, reflecting militia and Iranian attacks, ISIS and a country-wide US Level 4. Roads (42), health (45), violent crime (55) and natural hazards (50) are all weak, so the weighted average of 42 sits below the conflict cap of 50 and is the final score. Only Kurdistan in a calmer year would score noticeably higher.