Australian engineer Robert Pether leaves Iraq after travel restrictions lifted

Australian engineer Robert Pether has left Iraq to reunite with his family, Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed on October 12, ending an ordeal that began with his arrest in April 2021.

Wong’s official statement distinguished his imprisonment from the later restrictions on his movement. He spent more than four years in prison and was subsequently prevented from leaving Iraq. ABC reported that he had been released from prison in June 2025.

Pether and his Egyptian colleague Khalid Zaghloul were arrested in Baghdad while working on the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Iraq. Pether’s lawyers argued that he should not be held responsible for the actions of their engineering company.

Australian officials escorted Pether to the airport, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. He was travelling to Ireland, where his wife and children live. Wong said Australia had made 280 representations during the case and thanked Irish authorities for their cooperation.