Permits required for foreigners in mosques, KRG announces

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Kurdistan's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs announced that foreign nationals must obtain official approval before conducting religious activities in the region’s mosques.

“We want to make it clear that holding religious events, sermons, or Quran recitations by foreign individuals requires prior approval from the relevant authorities in the ministry,” the statement read.

In response to claims that the government had “banned foreigners from engaging in religious practices,” the ministry clarified in a statement that the requirement is merely a regulatory procedure, not a prohibition.

The ministry emphasized that the rule “aligns with similar regulations in other countries,” ensuring the proper organization of religious activities while “preserving the sanctity of mosques.”