Iraq recovers 80 smuggled artifacts

An Iraqi man looking at the sculpture of an ancient Assyrian god in the Iraqi Museum. Photo by: Hayder Ismaeel Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq’s Ministry of Justice successfully repatriated 80 smuggled historical artifacts and rare artworks on Monday, September 28, 2026, marking another breakthrough in federal legal campaigns to recover looted antiquities from abroad. According to an official statement issued by the ministry, the restitution was finalized through intensive international legal proceedings managed by the Directorate of External Litigation, executed in direct operational coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Washington, D.C. The ministry stated that the legal recovery operations, directed and monitored by Minister of Justice Dr. Khaled Shwani, form an integral part of Baghdad’s overarching policy to safeguard Iraq’s cultural heritage and reclaim sovereign historical assets dispersed through illicit trading networks. Through its dedicated Department for the Recovery of Antiquities and Assets, the Directorate of External Litigation manages active cross-border claims, targeting antiquities illegally excavated from unmonitored archaeological digs as well as stolen cataloged pieces traded internationally in violation of Iraqi heritage statutes and UNESCO conventions. Federal judicial authorities emphasized that these coordinated actions reflect the justice ministry’s structured legal mandate to track, document, and pursue stolen national assets worldwide. By leveraging bilateral judicial agreements and working through diplomatic missions across North America and Europe, the Iraqi government aims to ensure the comprehensive preservation of Mesopotamia’s civilizational legacy and institutionalize robust legal frameworks against the illicit trafficking of cultural antiquities.