Shafaq News– BaghdadThe Iraqi passport ranked 20th among Arab countries in the 2026Henley Passport Index, placing it near the bottom regionally.According to the index, Iraqis can access around 29 destinationswithout a prior visa, putting Iraq second from last among Arab states, ahead ofSyria only.Regionally, the Henley & Partners index shows a wide gapbetween Gulf and non-Gulf countries. The United Arab Emirates topped the Arabranking and placed fifth globally, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to184 destinations, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.Mid-ranking Arab passports included Morocco, Tunisia,Mauritania, Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, while the weakest regionalpassports were held by Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, according to the index.Globally, the strongest passport, Singapore, allows access to192 destinations, while Afghanistan ranked last with access to 24. The Henley Passport Index is based on data from theInternational Air Transport Association (IATA) and measures passport strengthby the number of destinations holders can enter without obtaining a visa inadvance or with simplified entry arrangements.