This decision has been made by the Iraqi Communication and Media Commission, which holds regulatory authority in this domain. Reuters news agency references a government document outlining this decision. A government spokesperson confirms the ruling, although an official source mentions to the press agency that formal approval is still pending.

The term "gender" will also be proscribed. Moreover, the prohibition will not solely apply to mainstream media. Social media platforms and even developers of phone applications will be required to enforce censorship. The penalties for violating this ban have not yet been disclosed.

Although homosexuality is not officially prohibited in Iraq, acceptance of it remains low. In response to recent Quran burnings in Scandinavian countries, rainbow flags have been set on fire in Iraq in a recurring manner.