Exclusive: Behind the scenes of “Operation Dawn” from Washington: Al-Zaidi gave the leaders a choice: money or arrest

The broad anti-corruption campaign launched by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has garnered attention and welcome within political and security circles in Washington, amid assessments that this step could strengthen his position ahead of his anticipated visit to the White House, if it succeeds in translating reform slogans into sustainable measures.

Al-Zaidi is preparing to visit Washington in mid-July to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House, according to a joint statement issued earlier this month by the Prime Minister and US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack.

A wave of arrests began at dawn on Sunday, targeting political officials, members of parliament, and businessmen as part of an anti-corruption campaign, which Al-Zaydi described during a cabinet meeting as the “first phase” of broader measures to recover public funds, while tasking oversight bodies with receiving any indications related to cases of corruption or negligence in state institutions.

In this context, Paul Davis, a professor of cybersecurity at the Institute for Global Policy and a former official at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, said that the recent wave of arrests represents “a step that the United States and the international community have been waiting for for years.”

Davis, who previously oversaw political and military analysis files on Iraq, Iran, and Syria at the US Department of Defense, explained to Shafaq News Agency that corruption has been for decades one of the most prominent obstacles hindering the development of the relationship between Baghdad and Washington, as well as being a major factor in weakening Iraqi state institutions.

The American expert revealed behind-the-scenes details that preceded the implementation of the campaign, indicating that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi held a crucial meeting with Iraqi political leaders, during which he informed them of the necessity to return the funds suspected of being seized, warning that failure to do so would lead to the issuance of arrest warrants against those involved.

He added that the recent moves reflect al-Zaidi’s commitment to the promises he made since taking over the premiership, noting that Washington views these measures as a practical test of the Iraqi government’s ability to enforce the rule of law and restore the confidence of the international community.

Davis believed that the campaign would have mixed results both domestically and internationally. On the one hand, it would raise al-Zaidi’s political and diplomatic standing during his upcoming meetings with American officials, as an indication of his government’s seriousness in combating corruption. On the other hand, it might open the door to an internal political crisis, because a number of those targeted occupy influential positions within the political class and the Iraqi parliament.

He noted that decision-making circles in Washington, despite their clear welcome of the campaign, will closely monitor its developments, not only in terms of the number of arrests, but also through its ability to continue and reach judicial rulings and recover public funds, away from selectivity or political pressure.

Davis concluded by saying that the success of the campaign would give al-Zaidi’s government political momentum at home and boost the confidence of the United States and Iraq’s international partners in its ability to implement real reforms, while its failure would revive old doubts about the Iraqi state’s ability to confront powerful corruption networks.

Shafaq.com

A large American convoy moved from Jordan towards Baghdad

A security source in Anbar province revealed on Monday that a large American convoy carrying military equipment moved from Jordan towards the Al-Suqur checkpoint in Fallujah, heading towards Baghdad.

The source told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “an American convoy consisting of trucks carrying armored Land Cruisers, as well as black pickup trucks, arrived at the Al-Suqur checkpoint in Fallujah, coming from Jordan. Further details regarding the convoy’s movement towards Baghdad are unknown, as part of an unclear plan to gradually and discreetly redeploy US forces in Iraq.”

The source added that “US forces imposed strict security measures as the convoy moved from Jordan through areas west of Anbar until it reached the Al-Suqur checkpoint towards Baghdad,” noting that “security forces stationed in Anbar province have observed suspicious American movements recently.”

Aalmaalomah.me

Is it true that the Sudanese man is being held under house arrest in the Green Zone?

MP Kamel Anid, from the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, confirmed today, Monday, his coalition’s absolute support for the legal and judicial measures taken against those wanted for justice, while warning at the same time of systematic campaigns led by corrupt individuals to confuse matters and mislead public opinion.

Anid told Al-Maalomah that “the Reconstruction and Development Coalition is based on a firm belief in the principle of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, stressing its full support for referring all corruption cases to the competent courts, and proceeding with them in accordance with constitutional and legal frameworks to consolidate the principle of accountability and responsibility, away from any political considerations or pressures.”

Anid added that “the last few days have witnessed an escalation in smear campaigns and the circulation of false information by parties involved in corruption, with the aim of achieving narrow political goals,” stressing “the need to rely on official narratives and accurate information issued by the competent authorities to block attempts to falsify the facts.”

In a related context, the MP from the Reconstruction and Development Coalition refuted “the information circulating regarding the detention of the head of the coalition, Muhammad Shia al-Sudani, and the imposition of house arrest on him inside the Green Zone, in the center of the capital, Baghdad, after the dawn raid on Sunday, indicating that there is no truth to this information.”

The government’s crackdown early Sunday morning resulted in the arrest of 47 individuals accused of corruption, including 12 members of parliament, as well as prominent government officials and politicians. The government affirmed its continued pursuit of corrupt individuals in Baghdad and the provinces.

Almaalomah.me

A politician reveals that the arrest of Al-Sudani and Al-Halbousi has been postponed until the next round of arrests.

The director of the Iraqi Media Center in Washington, Nizar Haider, revealed on Monday that the arrest warrants for the head of the Progress Alliance, Mohammed al-Halbousi, and former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani remain in effect and will be executed within the next few days on charges related to corruption and money laundering.
Haider told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the Integrity Commission will execute arrest warrants within the next few days against former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the head of the Progress Alliance, Mohammed al-Halbousi, for their involvement in stealing huge sums of money and transferring them to foreign banks, in addition to possessing a fortune equivalent to the budgets of some countries.”

He added that “the US Federal Reserve has placed al-Sudani and al-Halbousi at the top of its list of most wanted individuals for their involvement in corruption cases during their tenure in leadership positions in the central government,” clarifying that “the arrest of al-Sudani and al-Halbousi has been postponed until the coming days, and what has been rumored about political settlements to cancel the arrest warrants is baseless.”

He added that “Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s office, in coordination with the Counter-Terrorism Service, will pursue those involved in stealing huge sums of money from the country’s treasury in hard currency and imprison them to recover the stolen funds.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Zaydi: I will not receive a salary and I will not accept a gift… and the employees’ salaries are guaranteed.

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zidi confirmed on Monday that the salaries of state employees are secure and regular, while renewing his pledge not to receive a salary or accept any gift, and announced proceeding with the establishment of an energy and development fund.
Al-Zaydi said in a press statement followed by Al-Furat News that “the salaries of state employees are secured and regular, and we are very keen on this point,” indicating that “the size of the debt at the beginning of the government’s work amounted to about 208 trillion dinars, while the budget depends on oil by 93%, compared to 7% non-oil revenues.”

He added: “I will not receive a salary, nor will I accept a gift, even if it is a necktie, and my hands will not touch public money,” stressing that “the government will direct the Minister of Finance to open a special account to recover Iraq’s money from those who were involved with it, and we will take a different stance with anyone who refuses to return it.”

He pointed out that “the National Sovereignty Conference will be announced at the end of this year, and will enshrine the monopoly of power in the hands of the state and its agencies only,” noting that “the government will not run for another term and will not establish a political party, nor will it allow any dictates from outside the borders, neither from the East nor from the West.”

Al-Zaidi explained that “his next visits after Washington will be to Türkiye, Iran and Saudi Arabia, in addition to receiving invitations to visit France, Britain and Germany.”

On the economic front, Al-Zaydi announced the establishment of the “Energy and Development Fund” with contributions from the Central Bank of Iraq, which will be offered for public subscription. He indicated that the government will extend an invitation to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, in addition to American and European banks, to contribute to the fund, which will focus on financing development, industry, agriculture, and other sectors.

Alforatnews.iq

The Ministerial Council for the Economy issues new decisions

The Ministerial Council for Economy issued today, Monday (June 29, 2026), a number of decisions aimed at regulating the work of border crossings and unifying customs and tax procedures between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, in order to enhance revenue management and reduce unofficial crossings.

The Media Office of the Ministerial Council for the Economy stated in a statement that “the Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Planning, Faleh Al-Sari, held a session in the presence of the Ministers of Trade, Industry, Labor and Social Affairs, the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Vice President of the National Investment Commission, the Advisor to the Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, and the Director-General of the Economic Department in the Ministry of Oil.

He added that “the session witnessed the hosting of a delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government headed by the Minister of Finance of the region, and included a number of senior officials concerned with the financial and customs files, in addition to the head of the Border Ports Authority, the Undersecretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Directors General of the Customs and Tax Authorities, and representatives of the ASYCUDA system implementation project.”

The council discussed “the results of the work of the joint committees between Baghdad and Erbil regarding the unification of customs and tax procedures at border crossings, and the mechanisms for implementing the ASYCUDA system, as well as the technical and administrative obstacles facing the implementation of the project.”

Following a discussion of the technical report submitted by the joint team, the Council decided to “form a joint committee headed by the Federal Border Ports Authority, which will conduct a comprehensive survey of the border strip and visit the unofficial ports and crossings, and prepare a report that includes an assessment of the ports that meet the legal and technical conditions for converting them into official ports, while closing the ports that do not meet the conditions and assigning the Federal Border Forces Command to implement this.”

The Council tasked the Federal Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance in the Kurdistan Region, with preparing a unified booklet of customs exemptions and allowances, in preparation for submitting it to the Council of Ministers for approval and dissemination to all border crossings, in order to ensure the standardization of procedures.

The council also decided to “submit joint proposals to the Cabinet regarding the mechanism for collecting revenues at the border crossings of the Kurdistan Region, in order to strengthen the unification of financial resource management and consolidate coordination between the federal government and the region.”

The Ministerial Council for the Economy affirmed that “these measures are part of the efforts for economic and administrative reform, developing the management of border crossings, and unifying customs and tax systems, which will enhance transparency, raise the efficiency of revenue collection, and regulate trade between Iraq and neighboring countries.”

Burathanews.com

Oil expert: External pipelines are a political gamble and Iraq is incapable of protecting them

Oil expert Hamza Al-Jawahiri warned on Monday against the government’s move to establish oil export projects via pipelines passing outside Iraqi territory, describing these steps as facing “serious political and economic challenges” in light of the country’s current situation.

Al-Jawahiri told Al-Maalouma that “Iraq, which is still unable to protect its oil pipelines within its borders, will in no way be able to secure export lines that pass through foreign territories.”

Al-Jawahiri cited three harsh historical experiences in which Iraq “lost billions of dollars,” as well as “losing its sovereignty over the external oil export lines,” explaining that “the first of these experiences was with the Syrian Banias line, which was established in 1972, as Damascus, following Baghdad’s decision to nationalize oil, confiscated the entire line, even though part of it was owned by the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC),” noting that “this confiscation took place even though Iraq was then stronger and more stable than it is today.”

He added that “the second experience was represented by the Iraqi-Saudi line extending across the Red Sea, where Saudi Arabia confiscated the line only about one month after its completion, and successive Iraqi governments have not been able to recover it to this day.”

Regarding the Ceyhan port pipeline that passes through Turkish territory, Al-Jawahiri confirmed that “Turkey withdrew the federal government’s right to manage the pipeline, which has been in operation since 1973, and granted it to the Kurdistan Region, in a move he considered a direct reflection of the weakness of the Iraqi state.”

The oil expert revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the crisis with Turkey, explaining that “the region’s oil revenues were deposited for years in Turkish banks, which gave Ankara significant financial benefits,” noting that “previous governments were postponing the implementation of the decision of the International Court of Arbitration in Paris, which restored the right to Iraq, considering this a surprising matter that cannot be explained.”

He pointed out that “Ankara is currently imposing harsh conditions and high fees to renew the contract for operating the Ceyhan pipeline, stressing that building a new pipeline would be extremely costly and not economically viable.”

Al-Jawahiri explained that “any outlet for exporting oil via pipelines outside Iraq would be impractical and economically unviable under the current circumstances,” emphasizing that “Iraq’s sovereignty will not be sufficiently respected internationally as long as the state suffers from weakness.”

Almaalomah.me

Adjusting quotas is better than withdrawing: Economist warns against Iraq leaving OPEC

Economic expert Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani warned of the dangers of any move by Iraq to leave OPEC, explaining that Iraq lacks many of the necessary elements to enable it to withdraw from the organization.

Al-Mashhadani told Al-Maalouma, “Discussing Iraq’s exit from OPEC is not a simple matter at all. Iraq cannot leave the organization because it would be unable to withstand any price war.”

He added, “Iraq has already suffered greatly from the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, which led Riyadh to offer a barrel of oil at less than $7 below its usual price while increasing production by 500,000 barrels, causing the price per barrel to reach $18.”
He explained that “Iraq lacks the resources to withstand any price war, in addition to lacking a sovereign wealth fund and diversification in exports and production. Therefore, any change in the price per barrel will cause Iraq significant hardship.”

He emphasized the importance of Iraq remaining within OPEC while exerting pressure to adjust its export quota, citing its high production capacity and its position as the fifth-largest holder of global reserves.

Almaalomah.me

Badr Parliamentary Bloc: The Al-Jumaili case will not affect the completion of the cabinet.

MP Karim Aliwi, from the Badr parliamentary bloc, affirmed on Monday that the legal procedures and recent arrests of suspects in the Adnan al-Jumaili case will not have any negative or obstructive impact on efforts to complete the remaining cabinet positions. He emphasized the overwhelming political and parliamentary desire to resolve this issue and vote on the vacant ministries in the near future.

Aliwi told the Information Agency that the Parliament and political forces are determined to finalize the remaining ministerial appointments as quickly as possible with the start of the new legislative session.

He pointed out that “the formation of a fully empowered cabinet will give the government and the judiciary an additional pillar of strength in pursuing and punishing corrupt individuals, regardless of their political or executive positions.”

Aliwi explained that his bloc appreciates the courageous field steps being taken by the government in joint cooperation with the judiciary and the Integrity Commission in combating corruption and drying up its sources. He noted that the high level of coordination between these parties represents the fundamental guarantee for protecting public funds and enforcing the rule of law.

Almaalomah.me

MP: Corruption is the main reason behind foreign investment reluctance towards Iraq

MP Mohammed Hadi affirmed on Monday that the primary reason for the country’s collapse is the rampant corruption within all state institutions.

Hadi told the Information Agency, “Corruption is the foremost driver of the destruction of nations, as it plunders their budgets, dismantles their educational and health institutions, and drives away foreign investment due to the lack of financial security.”
He added, “The solution to ending corruption begins with enforcing the rule of law and holding the corrupt accountable,” noting that “Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s move to arrest a large number of major figures involved in corruption is a positive step in reducing the extent of corruption permeating all state institutions.”

Earlier, MP Qusay Abbas affirmed that the Iraqi Parliament fully and unequivocally supports any legal measures taken by the government, the Integrity Commission, and the judiciary to eradicate corruption and prosecute those involved in squandering public funds. He stressed the necessity of enforcing the law and ensuring just retribution for any individual proven guilty, regardless of their position or influence.

Almaalomah.me