In the 1980s, the embassy was situated at 215 McLeod Street, in a building constructed in 1957 [1] and was best known for its gala party held each year at the Château Laurier to celebrate Iraq National Day.

In the late 1980s, plans were underway to build an elaborate new chancery costing $5 million in Lower Town, next door to the Chinese embassy.

In April 1991, in response to events in Iraq, a Kurdish mob attacked the embassy with stones and Molotov cocktails, but little damage and no injuries resulted.

The Canadian government did not bow to U.S. pressure to close the embassy during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, but Canada did expel a number of diplomats on suspicion of espionage.

The lone Iraqi diplomat who remained, chargé d'affaires Mamdouh Mustafa, shuttered himself inside the embassy, attending few functions and refusing to talk to the media.