History of the Iraq Flag: 1963 Tricolour, Saddam-Era Changes & the 2008 Design
Iraq’s current flag grew from the red-white-black tricolour adopted in the 1960s, but its central symbols changed repeatedly with political regimes.
1963: red, white and black become the core design
Iraq adopted a red-white-black horizontal tricolour in 1963. Three green stars appeared in the central white band.
What did the three stars become associated with?
Over time the stars became closely associated with Baathist rule and the party slogan commonly translated as “unity, freedom, socialism.”
1991: Allahu Akbar is added
During Saddam Hussein’s rule, the phrase Allahu Akbar was added to the central white band during the Gulf War era.
2004: the handwriting changes
After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Takbir remained, but the rendering associated with Saddam’s handwriting was replaced by a formal Arabic calligraphic style.
2008: the stars are removed
Iraq’s parliament approved a revised design in January 2008. The three green stars were removed while the red-white-black stripes and green Allahu Akbar inscription remained.
Why was the 2008 change politically important?
The redesign sought to reduce associations with Baathist rule and create a national flag more acceptable across Iraq’s different communities.
Why is the current flag sometimes called temporary?
The 2008 change was initially presented as an interim compromise, but the same design has remained in official use.
Timeline
| 1963 | Red-white-black tricolour with three stars |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Allahu Akbar added |
| 2004 | Calligraphy changed |
| 2008 | Three stars removed |
