Iraq wins $49M lawsuit in Paris court

Shafaq News – Baghdad

The Iraqi government prevailed in a $49 million lawsuit after the Paris Judicial Court rejected an arbitration claim filed by the Gulf Falcon Company, the Ministry of Justice announced on Monday.

In a statement, Haitham Mohi Radi, Director-General of the ministry’s Legal Department, explained that the dispute stemmed from two contracts signed in 2000 to operate Iraq’s air transport sector, adding that implementation was suspended after 2003 due to the exceptional circumstances, in reference to the US-led invasion of Iraq and the subsequent political and security turmoil.

Radi indicated that the company later sought international arbitration to obtain compensation, but Iraq’s legal team presented evidence supporting the government’s position, leading the court to dismiss the claim.

In April, the Ministry of Justice reported that it had defended Iraq in 36 international cases, preventing potential losses estimated in the billions of dollars.