QATIF — The Passport Department has denied reports being circulated on social media websites saying the Saudi government has stopped issuing travel permits to citizens who wish to visit Iraq. “The Passport Department is closely following the situation in Iraq and will decide when to rescind travel permits for visiting Iraq, which is linked to the stability in that country,” it said. The Passport Department made it clear that Saudis are only banned from traveling to Israel and Thailand but it cautioned the citizens against traveling to hot trouble spots anywhere in the world. It also refused to link the cancellation of the travel permit to the opening of a Saudi embassy in Baghdad. Talal Al-Shalhoub, the Passport Department spokesman, told Al-Hayat newspaper on Wednesday that he had not received any instructions about canceling the permit. “There is no cancellation or change in the issuance of travel permits to Iraq, which still exists,” he said. Al-Shalhoub warned against obtaining the permit from individuals or travel and tourism offices and said the permit is issued exclusively by the Passport Department. “Anyone interested in traveling to Iraq should visit one of the passport offices personally,” he said. The spokesman made the comments after reports on social media that a citizen was caught traveling to Iraq on a forged permit and was subsequently jailed. According to the Passport Department, the permit is issued by a special committee comprising passport officials in the Eastern Province and Madinah. It said Saudis wishing to visit Iraq should submit their requests to the committee clearly specifying the reasons for the travel. The committee will carefully study the request and decide whether to grant a permit or not. It said applications for the permit are made on Saturdays and Sundays at the Passport Department in the Eastern Province each week and a decision on the request will be announced on following Wednesdays.