The combat ships were delivered by cargo ship on June 21, after a month-long trip that began on May 19, according to Italian media reports.
Iraq ordered six Assad-class combat ships in the early 1980s as part of its war against Iran. While western suppliers were happy to agree to an export deal, a UN weapons embargo was imposed on Iraq following the invasion in Kuwait.
It’s not clear when the other four Corvettes will be delivered. Each ship comes in at roughly 675 tons. Most Iraqi naval ships are used for maritime patrol and guarding off-shore oil platforms.
