Iraq: rules and approvals
In August 2026 the CMC adopted a new type approval certificate format with a QR code for verification and technical specifications printed on the certificate.
Iraq · hazardous area
Hazardous Area Cell Phone in Iraq
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, built for degassing stations, gas plants, refineries and terminals where a crew is a long way from a replacement. This page explains what to look for in a hazardous area cell phone for Iraq, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topichazardous area
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereIraq
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Iraq: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · hazardous area
Checklist: hazardous area cell phone for Iraq
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 0, 1 or 2 for gas; 20, 21 or 22 for dust | Designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC | IIC (target) |
| Area drawing | The operator's own classification drawing | Decided by the site operator |
| Where it applies | Iraq: Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Iraq
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Iraq. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Iraq
Where an Ex phone is used in Iraq
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Iraq market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Basra Oil Company
- The Ministry of Oil operator across the southern fields
- Rumaila Operating Organisation
- Joint operator of the Rumaila field for bp, PetroChina and BOC
- PetroChina
- Operator of West Qurna 1 since taking over in 2024
- Eni
- Development and operations at the Zubair field
- Basrah Gas Company
- South Gas Company, Shell and Mitsubishi associated gas venture
- Missan Oil Company
- The Missan fields and the Halfaya central gas processing plant
Industrial areas and sites
- Rumaila
- Iraq’s largest field, with degassing stations spread across it
- West Qurna
- Two adjacent super-giant developments north of Basra
- Zubair
- Field, degassing stations and associated gas handling
- Majnoon
- Field near the eastern border, operated by Basra Oil Company
- Halfaya
- Missan field with a central gas processing facility
- Khor Al-Zubair
- Gas plant, fertiliser and petrochemical zone and the port
Field notes · Iraq
More about Iraq that matters for portable equipment
Iraq: industry on the ground
Rumaila holds about 17 billion barrels of reserves and produced about 1.42 million barrels a day in 2022, roughly 30 percent of Iraq's total output.
Iraq: geography and layout
Baghdad is on the Tigris and has an estimated 8 million people, about 22 percent of Iraq's population, which makes it Iraq's largest pool of technical and administrative staff.
Iraq: industry on the ground
Basra Oil Company, formerly the Iraqi South Oil Company until its renaming in April 2017, is state-owned and handles upstream work, storage and export from the southern fields.
The term · hazardous area
What “hazardous area” means for a smartphone
A hazardous area is a place where flammable gas, vapour or combustible dust may be present. Standards divide these into zones: Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gas and vapour, and Zones 20, 21 and 22 for dust. Zone 1 and Zone 21 are the tier where an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, which is where the IS-04Z1 is designed to work. Anything carried in must be marked for the zone, gas group and temperature class of the area.
No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1 yet, so it must not be taken into a classified area until the certificate covering it exists and the site operator has accepted it.
In Iraq. Iraqi classified areas include degassing stations across the southern fields, associated gas plants, refineries, Khor Al-Zubair and Umm Qasr terminals, Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region gas and oil plants. Operators classify their areas, not SAMS. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21.
The route · specification
Specifying a hazardous area cell phone for Iraq
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Iraq
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a hazardous area cell phone in Iraq today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does a hazardous area cell phone in Iraq cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Which hazardous areas is the IS-04Z1 designed for?
Zone 1 and Zone 21 (gas and dust) with gas group IIC and temperature class T4, subject to certification. It must not be used in a classified area before its certificate is issued and the site has accepted it.
Which sites in Iraq does this cover?
The market guide for Iraq covers Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair, Majnoon, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Who is the right contact for supplier registration?
State oil companies run their own supplier procedures through procurement and HSE teams, and international contractors on the fields have their own. Ask the end user which company's rules apply before you ship equipment.
Do phones and radios need CMC type approval in Iraq?
Yes. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission issues type approval certificates, normally valid for one year, and the process uses a registered local partner. A new certificate format with a QR code was adopted in August 2026, so check current requirements.
Will a handset cope with Basra summer heat?
The IS-04Z1 is designed with IP68 sealing for industrial duty, but heat affects any battery. Ask for the datasheet's operating range and test a unit on a real summer round. Site rules on charging and storage in safe areas still apply.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Iraq, other places in Iraq, and the pages behind them.
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in IraqSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in IraqSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in IraqSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in IraqSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in IraqSame place, different guide
Iraq market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for IraqEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Iraq
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Iraq
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Iraq
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Iraq?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.