Multiple sources confirmed on Tuesday that Iraq's anti-corruption campaign has begun facing "serious disputes and disagreements" between the government and leaders of Shiite parties, a development that could hinder the execution of new arrest warrants against ministers, senior officials, and lawmakers accused of corruption.
The developments coincide with information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat indicating that authorities have begun implementing a settlement mechanism with a limited number of defendants, on the condition that embezzled public funds are returned to the state treasury.
Last week, Iraqi security forces arrested politicians, lawmakers, and senior government officials in what security and legal sources described as the start of a broader anti-corruption campaign ordered by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
Al-Zaidi, who took office in May, has pledged to eradicate corruption, one of Iraq's most persistent challenges despite repeated accountability pledges by successive governments.
Further arrests
The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Coordination Framework, the ruling alliance of Shi’ite forces, is trying to “engineer the pursuit procedures” against corrupt figures. But the effort could clash with a US push to use the campaign to dry up channels used to smuggle money to Iran through its allies and proxies in Iraq.
The Coordination Framework held its regular meeting on Monday evening to discuss “the anti-corruption campaign and halting the waste of public funds,” according to a press statement.
The alliance renewed its “support for government and judicial measures aimed at combating corruption,” and stressed that it would “move ahead with steps that preserve public funds and strengthen the authority of the law.”
The meeting drew attention because it was attended by Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zidan. Observers said his presence could suggest that the campaign’s continuation is facing political scrutiny and requires additional backing for al-Zaidi.
But the sources said, “Shi’ite party leaders needed further clarifications and direct talks with the head of the judiciary over the course of the operation and the nature of the arrest warrants.”
Forces within the ruling alliance had earlier declared support for the government’s anti-corruption campaign. Still, that did not prevent “a wave of anger and objections” from sweeping through the Coordination Framework over the way the campaign was carried out and the limits it should observe, informed sources said.
The sources said the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, headed by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, was among the parties most “displeased” by the latest campaign, especially after the arrest of a significant number of its lawmakers and affiliates.
A view has taken hold inside the coalition that the campaign is directly targeting the bloc of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, rather than other Shi’ite leaders.
The government has defended the campaign's legality, saying it is acting on “arrest warrants issued by judicial institutions.”
Engineering prosecutions
Many political leaders believe the anti-corruption drive must be "carefully managed" to ensure it remains under control and does not extend to highly sensitive positions and influential figures, the sources said.
The sources said most factions within the Coordination Framework seek to leverage the anti-corruption campaign in two ways. The first is to "absorb public anger over rampant corruption across much of the state apparatus by targeting a specific group of corrupt officials."
The second is to "restore the reputation of the political system, which has suffered severe damage as a result of corruption and poor governance."
The sources added that most political factions favor, as part of managing the process, having the authorities develop "a settlement mechanism for certain defendants." Authorities have already applied such a mechanism to some of the individuals named on the wanted list issued by the judiciary last week, in exchange for recovering embezzled public funds for the state treasury.
However, the sources believe this could "clash with pressing US demands to cut off corruption networks that Iran and its allies exploit to secure funding within various state institutions."
Meanwhile, State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki said in a televised interview that "corruption is not limited to Adnan al-Jumaili," referring to the deputy oil minister whose case came to light last week and whose confessions implicated lawmakers and senior government officials.
Parliamentary anger
The latest anti-corruption campaign has stirred alarm in parliament. Political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that “a number of lawmakers are now worried that the next wave of arrests could reach them, to the point that some are avoiding attending sessions.”
Some political parties have accused the parliament speaker of “favoring” certain blocs and punishing others in handling requests to lift the immunity of certain lawmakers, while ignoring similar requests against others, paving the way for their arrest.
On Monday, lawmaker Samiya al-Ghallab of the Taqaddum party, led by former parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, voiced anger over the latest measures against some lawmakers.
She said the most recent parliamentary session had seen a protest over the way arrest warrants were carried out against defendants in corruption cases linked to the confessions of Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili.
“The way the arrests were carried out resembled a Hollywood action movie,” Ghallab said in a televised interview.
Ghallab said Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi had “ordered the formation of an investigative committee to examine the force that carried out the arrest warrants, and another committee to review Jumaili’s confessions and visit the detained lawmakers.”
But Taqaddum rejected Ghallab’s remarks and issued a disciplinary reprimand against her, saying her statements were “contrary to the party’s positions.”
The party said it supports the measures taken by the executive, legislative and judicial authorities to combat corruption.
