Archaeological excavation missions in cooperation with local teams continue their work in Iraq, most notably the Tello site in Dhi Qar province (south), and the historic city of Charax in Basra (south). These missions have made astonishing discoveries dating back to about 2,000 years BC.

The director of the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, Laith Majid Hussein, told Al-Monitor, “A British Museum excavation mission discovered a mud mosque dating back to the Umayyad period 1,400 years ago, while the Russian mission continues its work in the Al-Duhaila area in Dhi Qar, and the German mission in Uruk. The Louvre Museum team is carrying out maintenance and rehabilitation works at the Mosul Museum.”

The European crews are training local teams, Hussein said, which will "lead to a generation of well experienced and professional excavators. Iraq has local excavation teams that are now working in the Nahrawan area on the outskirts of Baghdad, and in the province of Najaf.”

He also noted that there are promising plans to transform the areas into tourism and entertainment projects.