Sulaymaniyah International Airport Officially Renamed Jalal Talabani International Airport

The Airport’s media office

Jalal Talabani International Airport.

On Tuesday evening, 14 July 2026, a ceremony was held at Sulaymaniyah International Airport to mark its official renaming as Jalal Talabani International Airport. The event was attended by Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, several ministers, senior government and party officials from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, ambassadors, consuls, and members of the diplomatic corps.

The ceremony opened with the Iraqi national anthem, followed by a documentary highlighting the airport’s construction and the process that led to its renaming.

Dr Mohammed Sabir, Chairman of the President Jalal Talabani Foundation, welcomed the guests and said the decision to rename the airport carried profound national significance. He noted that President Mam Jalal had played a pivotal role in shaping Iraq’s modern history and said the move was a fitting tribute to his lifelong struggle and sacrifices for the freedom of Iraq and Kurdistan. Dr Sabir also expressed his appreciation to all parties within the federal government who supported the initiative, particularly the Iraqi Council of Ministers.

Kurdistan Region President Nizar Amedi then addressed the audience, expressing his pleasure at attending the ceremony and welcoming the airport’s new name.

The renaming followed an official proposal submitted by the President Jalal Talabani Foundation, a national and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of President Mam Jalal. The initiative was the culmination of nearly four years of sustained efforts.

The proposal received the endorsement and direct support of former Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani and the Federal Ministry of Transport in recognition of President Mam Jalal’s historic legacy.

The airport’s new name honours the late Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, recognising his enduring contribution to democracy, his decades-long political struggle, and his vital role in safeguarding national unity and fostering consensus among Iraq’s diverse communities after 2003.

The airport itself holds particular symbolic importance in President Mam Jalal’s legacy. He initiated the project in 2000, laid its foundation stone in November 2003, and officially inaugurated the airport on 20 July 2005. Renaming the airport in his honour is therefore regarded as a lasting tribute to one of the most significant development projects completed during his presidency in Sulaymaniyah.

The change extends beyond a symbolic renaming. It also required amendments to official correspondence, aeronautical charts, and technical documentation used by international aviation organisations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), while preserving the airport’s internationally recognised codes.

The decision was also warmly welcomed by diplomatic missions and foreign consulates in the Kurdistan Region, many of whom described the airport’s association with President Mam Jalal as a meaningful tribute to a statesman whose legacy continues to resonate. As Sulaymaniyah’s principal gateway to the world, the airport now bears the name of one of Iraq’s most influential political figures.

Key stages in the renaming process

30 September 2025: Maitham Al-Safi, spokesperson for Iraq’s Federal Ministry of Transport, officially announced that then Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani and former Minister of Transport Razzaq Al-Muhaibis had approved the request to rename the airport.

3 October 2025: The Iraqi Council of Ministers and the Prime Minister granted final official approval, after which local and international administrative and technical procedures began to update the airport’s records.

22–23 February 2026: Sulaymaniyah International Airport and the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) announced the date on which the new name would become operational, informing airlines and international aviation organisations so they could update their systems and navigational documentation.

19 March 2026: The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority officially implemented the new name, Jalal Talabani International Airport. From this date, the name was updated across domestic and international aviation charts, flight plans, technical systems, approved documentation, and global airline reservation systems.

On Monday, 13 July 2026, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Council of Ministers, at the request of the Sulaymaniyah Airport Directorate, formally approved the airport’s official renaming to Jalal Talabani International Airport, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ Media Directorate.


PUKMEDIA