Among them is a general amnesty… The Supreme Judicial Council reveals details of its procedures in the cases of Nour Zuhair and Al-Jumaili

The Supreme Judicial Council revealed on Friday that legal and constitutional procedures are being coordinated with the Prime Minister’s office to reduce judicial procedures against those accused of administrative and financial corruption, provided they voluntarily return public funds. The Council confirmed that the same mechanism adopted in the “tax deposits” case will be followed with those accused in the “North Refineries Company” file.

The judiciary explained in a statement received by the Al-Maalomah Agency that “the tax deposit case is summarized as follows: the actions of follow-up companies (including the companies “Al-Qant” and “Al-Mubdi’un” belonging to the convicted Nour Zuhair) in withdrawing the financial deposits belonging to foreign companies that they deposit with the tax authority at a rate of 5% to guarantee the completion of projects,” noting that “the withdrawal process was carried out through irregular procedures and with the collusion of employees in the authority.”

The statement indicated that “based on a previous agreement between the heads of the Judicial Council and the (former) Council of Ministers, and with the approval of the competent judge, the main defendant, Noor Zuhair, was released on bail in exchange for paying the money in installments to reduce his sentence, as 365 billion dinars were recovered out of more than 1 trillion and 618 billion dinars owed by his two companies,” explaining that “this amount is part of the total funds withdrawn from Al-Rafidain Bank through several companies, amounting to more than 3 trillion and 831 billion dinars.”

He added that “after the accused traveled and stopped paying, he was referred to the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court, and a sentence of 10 years imprisonment was issued against him in absentia, with the organization of an extradition file and contacting the International Interpol to arrest him.”

He pointed out that “Nour Zuhair’s lawyer submitted a request to include his client in the amendment of the amnesty law in force in exchange for completing the payment of the remaining amounts owed by him,” noting that “his inclusion in the decision is still pending, awaiting a response from the Ministry of Finance (the affected party) to agree on the payment mechanism.”

The statement explained that “different judicial rulings were issued in this case, including: rulings in person, which are: imprisonment for 12 employees of the tax authority who helped in the illegal withdrawal operations, and people (not employees) who exploited their relationships with the Minister of Finance at the time to facilitate the crime, and their movable and immovable assets were confiscated, in addition to the confiscation of real estate and funds in Iraq and Kuwait belonging to some of the convicts.”

He added that “the in absentia sentences, which are: imprisonment for the director of the Prime Minister’s office at that time and a number of advisors, with the organization of extradition files and arrest warrants for others (with the possibility of including everyone in the amnesty law if they pay what they owe), noting that the investigation against the Prime Minister, during whose government the crime occurred, was closed due to insufficient evidence.”

Regarding the case of the “North Refineries Company” and the accused, Adnan Al-Jumaili, who is detained in it, and a number of members of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Judicial Council confirmed that “the same procedures will be followed (reducing the penalty in exchange for recovering the funds) if the crime was committed before the effective date of the amendment to the amnesty law and the accused paid the amounts to the affected ministry.”

He explained that “if the crime was committed after the amnesty law came into effect, the accused will be dealt with according to different procedures and contexts because they are not covered by the amnesty,” noting that “a legal roadmap has been developed with the Prime Minister to achieve the two goals: recovering state funds and easing the procedures for those who return them voluntarily.”

Almaalomah.me

Officials at Rafidain Bank arrested on charges of stealing 1.6 billion dinars

On Thursday evening, a joint force from the Federal Integrity Commission and the SWAT force in Diwaniyah Governorate carried out a qualitative operation that resulted in the arrest of a number of officials in Al-Rafidain Bank, on the grounds of a currency manipulation and embezzlement case.

An informed source told Shafaq News Agency that investigations revealed the changing of banknote denominations from 50,000 dinars to 1,000 dinars, in a manipulation operation that led to the theft of an estimated 1.6 billion dinars.

The source added that the operation came after intensive monitoring and investigations, during which the accused were arrested and legal measures were taken against them, while investigations are still ongoing to uncover all those involved and recover the stolen funds.

Shafaq.com

A member of parliament accuses Kuwait of killing an Iraqi fisherman and arresting others in territorial waters, and demands the immediate expulsion of the consul.

The head of the “Al-Asas” parliamentary bloc, MP Alaa Al-Haidari, accused the Kuwaiti authorities on Friday of killing an Iraqi fisherman and detaining others within Iraqi territorial waters, calling on the federal government to take a firm stance regarding the incident.

Al-Haidari said in a post seen by Shafaq News Agency that “what Kuwait has done in killing an Iraqi fisherman in Iraqi territorial waters, and arresting another group more than once, represents a disregard for Iraqi blood and a blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty.”

The representative from Basra province added, “The Iraqi government is obligated to take a firm stance regarding this crime, otherwise our response will be in kind, and the Kuwaiti consul must leave Basra immediately.”

In the field context, a security source in Basra Governorate informed the agency yesterday, Thursday, that the Iraqi fishermen who were detained in Kuwait arrived yesterday evening, Thursday, via the Safwan border crossing, indicating that the body of the victim fisherman (Najm Abdullah Khalid) arrived along with the fisherman who was shot in the head (Thaer Muhammad Salman), in addition to the rest of the released fishermen, namely: (Hassan Khalid Hassan, Jaafar Hassan Abdul Zahra, and Majid Muhammad Khalid).

The source pointed out that the fishermen had been subjected to direct gunfire by the Kuwaiti coast guard while they were on board the Iraqi boat bearing the number (IFB166).

These developments coincide with an official visit by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein to Kuwait on Wednesday, during which he met with Kuwaiti Prime Minister and Interior Minister Fahd Yousef Saud Al-Sabah.

During the meeting, Hussein stressed the importance of establishing joint preventive mechanisms and procedures in the areas of contact and overlapping waters between the two countries, to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents that recently resulted in this tragic event, reflecting the keenness of both sides to preserve fraternal relations and protect lives.

Shafaq.com

Why was Iraq absent from the Washington-Tehran negotiations? An American perspective explains the reasons.

The Iraqi file was absent from the “American-Iranian” negotiations mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, which the American “Gulf International Forum” Institute saw as a reflection of the reality that Tehran’s influence in Baghdad now depends on political, geographical and social ties that negotiations cannot change.

According to the Gulf International Forum , when the United States and Iran returned to the negotiating table through Qatari and Pakistani mediation, Iraq was notably absent, as it was not a party to the negotiations, nor was it one of the issues that Tehran negotiated.

The institute explained, in a report translated by Shafaq News Agency, that Iran has been pushing for ceasefire arrangements on multiple fronts, including in Lebanon, but has explicitly refused to raise the issue of Iraqi armed factions, which are arguably one of the most important tools of its regional network.

He argued that overlooking Iraq leads to tempting conclusions, namely that Tehran has quietly come to accept a smaller role in Baghdad, or that the relationship no longer carries the same strategic weight.

However, the report argued that the reality indicates that Baghdad’s absence from the negotiations confirms that Tehran’s influence in Iraq depends on political, geographical and social ties that negotiations cannot change.

He pointed out that Iran’s silence reveals the evolving nature of its relationship with Iraq, adding that Tehran did not raise the issue of armed factions because its position in Iraq is based on relationships that extend far beyond any single militia or political issue.

He went on to say that, unlike the situation in Lebanon, where Hezbollah can be treated as an independent military actor, Iran’s influence in Iraq is rooted in a mix of geographic, political, cultural and religious ties, including shared borders, deep religious relations, extensive tribal and trade networks, and a political class that has been formed through decades of rapprochement.

According to the report, this distinction is necessary to understand the future of Iranian influence in Iraq, explaining that Tehran’s feeling that it did not need to defend its Iraqi factions during the negotiations does not mean that it has abandoned them, but rather proves that its position in Iraq transcends any particular armed group.

He also said that the absence of the Iraq file from the negotiations also reveals how Tehran is likely to respond to increasing American pressure, recalling that Washington made the issue of disarming and disbanding the factions a central demand of the new Iraqi government, pointing to American influence that was evident during the stalemate related to the formation of the government, as happened with the withdrawal of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from candidacy, and then the support of the Coordination Framework for the nomination of Ali al-Zaidi.

The report indicated that Iraq remains of great importance to Iran, which prevents it from risking a direct confrontation that it cannot afford. It added that instead, Tehran has incentives to avoid actions that would provoke further American pressure, and relies more on political and economic channels that are less susceptible to direct American confrontation.

He explained that the armed factions represent another indicator of how the Iraqi-Iranian relationship is changing, indicating that Tehran and the factions are aware of the limits of direct confrontation with Washington, especially in light of the increasing American pressure on Baghdad.

In this context, the report noted the difficulty of engaging in a direct confrontation with the United States, which prompted several factions, at least rhetorically, to move towards disarming and dissolving themselves, although the mechanism for implementing this remained deliberately undefined.

He stressed that this should not be confused with weakening Tehran’s position, explaining that reducing the military aspect of the relationship allows it to evolve from a relationship focused on armed activity to a more sustainable relationship based on political organizations and institutional influence. He pointed out that the decline in the role of the factions, rather than reducing Iran’s influence, may make this influence more difficult for Washington to contain.

The report stated that the broader picture of the negotiations indicates that Iraq’s relationship with Iran is developing within an environment not controlled by Baghdad, emphasizing that Washington still retains significant influence over the Iraqi political leadership, while Iran has built networks of influence that go beyond relying on armed factions alone.

He pointed out that even if these groups change their behavior or are officially dissolved, their political wings will remain part of the Iraqi electoral landscape, thus maintaining a major channel for Iranian influence within state institutions. He added that Tehran’s influence has become an integral part of Iraqi political institutions, which makes dismantling this influence by Washington more difficult.

The report concluded that while the Iraq file may have been absent from the negotiations, it remained central to their repercussions, indicating that while this does not point to a fundamental change in the Iraqi-Iranian relationship, it reveals an accelerating shift in how Iranian influence operates within Iraq.

Shafaq.com

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Parliamentary move to resolve the cabinet formation issue during upcoming sessions

MP Abbas Al-Maliki stressed on Wednesday that the delay in completing the cabinet does not serve the political process, calling on political blocs to expedite the resolution of this issue and send the names of the remaining ministers to the House of Representatives for a vote. Politics

Al-Maliki told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the delay in completing the cabinet does not serve the political process and affects the government’s work and the implementation of its program,” indicating that “the House of Representatives informed the political blocs of the need to reach an agreement and send the names of the remaining ministers in preparation for voting on them.”

He added that “political activity is still ongoing among political forces in order to reach understandings regarding the vacant ministries.”

Al-Maliki indicated that “there is a move to resolve the issue of completing the cabinet during the upcoming sessions of the Council of Representatives, which will contribute to finalizing the government formation and closing this file.”

Almaalomah.me

The framework warns Al-Zaydi against halting the anti-corruption campaign: backtracking provides an opportunity to reshuffle the cards.

Hussein Mardan, a member of the Coordination Framework, stressed on Wednesday the need for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to continue his campaign to combat corruption, warning that stopping it would exacerbate corruption within state institutions.

Mardan told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “since 2003, political blocs have worked to strengthen the quota system, which has led to the spread of corruption in various parts of the state,” explaining that “corruption has caused the disruption of political, security and economic decision-making as a result of the infighting over positions in all state institutions.” Politics

He added that “the anti-corruption campaign represents an important step to restore the prestige of the state, hold those involved accountable, and recover public funds,” stressing “the need for Al-Zaydi to continue his anti-corruption campaign and work to overthrow the corrupt and recover the funds.”

Mardan warned the Prime Minister against “stopping the campaign, because that would mean corruption would worsen even more than it is now, and would give corrupt people a chance to rearrange their affairs.”

Earlier, MP Mohammed Hadi called for support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s anti-corruption campaign through the enactment of several laws that would strengthen government procedures for prosecuting corrupt individuals, emphasizing the importance of the House of Representatives’ oversight role at this stage.

Almaalomah.me

Regional disputes escalate… Calls to resolve the government formation crisis and end the revenue crisis

Political disputes continue within the Kurdistan Region amid the stalled formation of the new government, coinciding with escalating calls to compel the regional government to fulfill its constitutional obligations towards Baghdad, particularly regarding the handover of oil and non-oil revenues, amid warnings of the impact of these crises on the living conditions of citizens.

Ongoing political deadlock

Political observer Atheer Al-Sharaa confirmed that the disagreements between the Kurdish political forces regarding the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government are still ongoing and have not witnessed any real progress, indicating that the struggle over positions has led to the disruption of the work of government institutions within the region.

Al-Sharaa told Al-Maalouma that the continued political deadlock has directly impacted the service and living conditions, given the delay in resolving administrative and economic issues that affect citizens’ lives. Economics

He added that ending the crisis requires genuine political understandings, far removed from partisan interests, to ensure the reactivation of institutions and the improvement of the level of services.

Out-of-control revenues

For his part, former MP Bassem Al-Gharabawi confirmed that the Kurdistan Regional Government is still stalling in fulfilling its financial obligations towards the federal government, especially with regard to handing over oil revenues and border crossings, considering that this represents a clear violation of the constitution.

Al-Gharabawi pointed out that the continuation of this approach was a result of the political favors pursued by previous governments, which contributed to the continuation of financial disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

Al-Gharabawi called on Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to adopt a more decisive stance in managing the relationship with the regional government, and to push for the transfer of all oil and non-oil revenues to the federal government, in exchange for Baghdad’s commitment to deliver the region’s entitlements according to constitutional frameworks.

He stressed that the current stage requires ending the policy of political courtesies and adopting the principle of mutual commitment in implementing agreements between the two sides.

Entitlements awaiting resolution

Observers believe that the ongoing disputes within the Kurdistan Region, coupled with the stalled implementation of financial obligations between Erbil and Baghdad, are exacerbating the political and economic crises. This necessitates serious action to resolve the issue of forming the regional government and implementing the constitution in a way that safeguards the rights of all Iraqis and strengthens stability in the country.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Bayati: We are waiting for a roadmap from the Ministry of Finance to address the economic challenges.

MP Mohammed al-Bayati confirmed on Wednesday that he is awaiting a roadmap from the Ministry of Finance for managing the financial situation in the coming period, given the challenges facing the Iraqi economy.

Al-Bayati told Al-Maalouma that “Iraq is going through a difficult financial phase due to its declining ability to export oil at high levels,” noting that “the Ministry of Finance faces significant challenges, and we are waiting for a roadmap that clarifies the features of the next phase, the proposed solutions, and the mechanisms for correcting the financial course.”

He added that “the Ministry of Finance faces complex challenges, and this is undeniable,” explaining that “the next phase will be one of searching for exceptional solutions to address the significant decrease in budget revenues.”
He pointed to “the importance of developing realistic and objective solutions that contribute to achieving financial stability and ensuring the state’s ability to face the upcoming economic challenges.”

Almaalomah.me

A member of parliament predicts the completion of the government cabinet by the end of this month.

MP Murtada al-Saadi, from the Reconstruction and Development bloc, confirmed on Wednesday that the House of Representatives is waiting for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to send the names of candidates for the vacant ministerial portfolios, while he predicted that the vote on them would take place at the end of this month. Politics

Al-Saadi told Shafaq News Agency that “some of the names nominated for ministerial portfolios had some reservations and did not gain the confidence of the council due to some political problems.”

He added that “currently there is an understanding and political rapprochement to resolve the vacant ministries in the government, but the matter is currently postponed until after the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States of America,” indicating that “the House of Representatives will vote on the candidates for the vacant ministries at the end of this July, and there will be some changes to the names of the candidates by the political parties and the coordination framework, and the most suitable one will be chosen for the ministerial portfolio.”

An informed source revealed on Sunday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi will discuss, during his upcoming visit to Washington next month, the release of one of the Iraqi bank guarantees held by the United States, estimated at about $30 billion, in addition to economic and investment files.

An informed source revealed earlier that the political forces that did not complete their share of the government cabinet, according to their electoral entitlement in the last parliamentary elections, have begun forming internal committees to sort and study the names of candidates to fill the ministries that fall within their government quotas.

The Shiite Coordination Framework linked the completion of the ministerial formation of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s government to the results of his anticipated visit to the United States, stressing that the vacant ministries will not be decided before his return from Washington, according to a statement by the leader in the Coordination Framework, MP Amer al-Fayez, to Shafaq News Agency.

These developments coincide with al-Zaidi’s anticipated visit to Washington in mid-July, at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, which is seen as a pivotal moment in shaping the relationship between Baghdad and Washington.

Shafaq.com