Iraq Flag

Description

The Iraq flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the Iraq Flag

Three broad horizontal bands of red, white and black, with the Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar” written in green Kufic script across the white centre, make up the current Iraq flag. This is a simplified version of a design that dates back to the 1960s, with the wording and details changed several times to reflect shifts in Iraq’s politics.

Colours and Symbolism

Red, white and black are pan-Arab colours shared with several flags across the Arab world, drawn from the banners used by historic Arab dynasties and later adopted as symbols of a shared Arab identity in the twentieth century. The green Takbir, meaning “God is greatest”, was added to the white stripe to give the flag an explicitly Islamic dimension. Its Kufic lettering, an angular calligraphic style with a long history in Islamic art, was chosen for the way it fits neatly and legibly into the horizontal stripe.

History of the Iraq Flag

Iraq adopted a red-white-black tricolour with three green stars on 31 July 1963, following the Ramadan Revolution, designed to echo the pan-Arab ambitions of the time and the wish to align with a union of Egypt and Syria. In 1991, during the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein ordered the Takbir added between the stars, reportedly in his own handwriting, as part of a broader push to align the government with religious sentiment. After 2003 the three stars became a point of contention, particularly for Kurdish Iraqis who associated them with the Ba’athist era, and on 22 January 2008 Iraq’s parliament passed a new flag law that removed the stars and rendered the Takbir in a standard stylised Kufic script rather than the former handwritten version. That 2008 design remains the Iraq flag flown today, although it was originally intended as an interim measure pending a fuller redesign.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Iraq flag is flown at government buildings, military installations and public institutions throughout the country, and appears at national celebrations including Iraqi Independence Day. Given the religious text it carries, the flag is generally treated with particular care and is not meant to touch the ground or be used in a way that could be seen as disrespectful to the inscription.

Iraq Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every Iraq flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Order Lead Times

Almost everything we make is freshly printed and made to order, just for you! So please allow 3–5 working days for us to prepare your order before it heads out the door. We’ll always try to get it to you sooner where we can. Some fast movers, like South African flags, ship quicker as they’re often in stock.

One quick thing to keep in mind: the “next working day” you see on your order confirmation is the courier’s delivery time from the day we dispatch — not from the day you place your order. So it’s really 3–5 days to prepare + next-day delivery.

Good things are worth the wait — we’re excited to get your order into your hands.

Additional information