Iraq is to ban Waze, the Israeli-founded navigation app, at the beginning of 2027, Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad has announced.
The Ministry of Communications plans to block the service by the end of December, according to the Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada. Sanad told broadcaster Rudaw that the ban would take effect some time in early 2027.
“Because it comes from the entity [Israel] and is Israeli-made, we will ban it at the beginning of 2027,” he said during the Hitex 2026 technology exhibition in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
Why Iraq is banning Waze
Waze is used by hundreds of motorists, including taxi drivers, and allows users to report traffic congestion, crashes and police checkpoints in real time. Google bought the service in 2013 for nearly $1 billion.
Its privacy policy allows it to collect location data, routes, destinations, search histories and device information, depending on users’ settings. Aggregated over time, such data can reveal patterns of movement, busy periods and unusual changes in travel.
The app has also featured in security discussions in Iraq over alerts that can help drivers avoid checkpoints, although Sanad did not link the ban directly to that issue.
Iraq does not recognise Israel and has no diplomatic relations with it. A law passed in 2022 criminalises diplomatic, political, military, economic and cultural ties with Israel, with penalties including life imprisonment and the death penalty.
The legislation applies to Iraqi citizens, state institutions, media organisations, private companies and foreign entities operating in the country, including the Kurdish region. However, Sanad has not specifically said that Waze is being blocked under the anti-normalisation law.
What will replace the navigation app?
Sanad said users could move to Google Maps or Iraqi navigation applications. Communications Ministry spokesman Omar al-Amiri said an Iraqi app, which has not yet been named, would replace Waze and operate without technical problems.
Mustafa Kamel al-Sharif, an Iraqi technology researcher, said a domestic alternative would require more than an Iraqi map and branding. It would need accurate geographic databases, an updated road network, routing technology and live information on traffic, accidents and road closures.
He also said the wider issue was how Iraq regulated citizens’ data, since other services could collect sensitive information in a similar way to Waze.
The ministry has not explained how the ban will be enforced, whether it will apply across the Kurdish region or what legal basis will be used. It has also not announced when the Iraqi replacement will be launched.
It remains unclear why Google Maps would continue to be available as an alternative despite being owned by the same parent company, Alphabet, or why Waze is being banned now when its Israeli origins have long been known.
