UK goverment and Iraq strike migrant return agreement

In efforts to “deter small boats,” the UK government has agreed a deal with Iraq to return Iraqi migrants who enter the UK without a right to stay, The National reported on August 20th.

The UK Home Office minister, Dan Jarvis, has signed a deal which has cemented a formal process to return Iraqis who enter the nation without the required visas. The Home Office has stated the agreement would enable the “swift” return of “illegal” migrants.

Jarvis inked the deal during the visit of Iraq’s deputy foreign minister Fuad Hussein, to the UK.

The number of Iraqi migrants entering the UK via small boats has already been dwindling. Home office statistics state 1900 Iraqi migrants entered the UK between March 2024 and March 2025 – a fall from 2600 in the previous year.

Jarvis said: “This visit reinforces the strength of the UK-Iraq partnership and demonstrates our government’s commitment to serious diplomacy that delivers real results.”

Jarvis added: “As someone who served in Iraq, I understand first-hand the importance of building enduring relationships in the region, and the new agreement we have signed is a testament to the trust and co-operation we’ve built with our Iraqi counterparts.”

This new deal is part of a trend in the UK government to make international deals with foreign nations to crack down on migrants entering the country.

The UK has already made similar agreements with Vietnam and Albania.

The UK government made a deal with Tunisia to curtail migration from the North African country, which was condemned by human rights groups due to Tunisia’s history of human rights abuses. Tunisian authorities were reportedly selling sub-Saharan migrants to Libyan gangs for as little as £10.

The deal showcases a growing hostility towards migrants that is dominating foreign policy within the UK and Western Europe.

The National, Maghrebi.org