The remains of hundreds of historical sites buried in the sands of Iraq still arouse the interest of international exploration missions, which long suspended their activities amid the country's armed conflicts and poor security situation. But today, such works are being resumed with an eye on solving many of the mysteries buried in about 12,000 sites dating back to different eras.

After a 30-year hiatus, the French archaeological mission resumed its excavation July 23 in Larsa, the capital of the Kingdom of Larsa, the first country to be established in the beginning of the second millennium B.C. The mission previously uncovered a network of large water channels, a bridge, a port, housing units and a large temple, as well as clay tablets dating to the ancient Babylonian era.

In 2019, an American archaeological excavation mission from the University of Chicago worked in the city of Nippur (2500 B.C.). The Antiquities Authority in Diwaniyah where the historical relics are located in Iraq's south told Al-Monitor that it had "conducted a comprehensive survey of the city in preparation for a comprehensive excavation.”

Also last year, German archaeologists discovered a 3,400-year-old palace dating to the Mitanni empire, and an Italian team began excavation in Tulul Al-Bqarat, which dates to the Babylonian era, in Wasit province.