Kadhimi: Corruption Rampant in Iraqi State Institutions

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visits the headquarters of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and meets with Minister Othman al-Ghanmi. (Prime Minister's Press Office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visits the headquarters of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and meets with Minister Othman al-Ghanmi. (Prime Minister's Press Office)
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Kadhimi: Corruption Rampant in Iraqi State Institutions

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visits the headquarters of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and meets with Minister Othman al-Ghanmi. (Prime Minister's Press Office)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi visits the headquarters of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and meets with Minister Othman al-Ghanmi. (Prime Minister's Press Office)

Outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi voiced his regret over the damage caused to the state by to the difficult political and social conditions experienced by the country over the past decades.

This has reflected badly on citizens’ trust in their state and has stirred a moral dilemma on dealing with intelligence and technology, he added during a visit to the headquarters of the Ministry of Interior and a meeting with Minister Othman al-Ghanmi.

“The security forces shall take their duties seriously and neglect will be confronted with accountability,” he said.

“Obviously, there are manifestations of corruption in the Iraqi state. It is a common phenomenon in post-dictatorship eras. It usually persists for some time before fading, but unfortunately, it remains in some of the Interior Ministry departments," acknowledged Kadhimi.

He referred to the great suffering that the Iraqi people experienced during the post-2003 years.

Kadhimi blamed internal and external conditions for draining Iraq’s human and economic potential.

The prime minister condemned last week's attack against a headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, stressing that the force on duty that stood idly while the attack took place will be held accountable.

The KDP suspended political activities in Baghdad after its office there was set on fire by supporters of pro-Iran parties and militias. This was the second attack targeting the headquarters in under a year.

Despite the challenges, Kadhimi considered that “the country is facing a real opportunity to consolidate security.”

“Our efforts can turn into an opportunity for success, and this is only done through loyalty to the Iraqi national identity,” he stressed.

The premier also spoke about the social risks posed by illicit drugs in the country.

“It is an epidemic that must be treated as terrorism. It is a dangerous scourge that we must not allow to infiltrate Iraqi society,” he emphasized.



Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Presidency Press Office on April 11, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) during a meeting the 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) in Antalya. (Handout / Turkish Presidency Press Office / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Presidency Press Office on April 11, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) during a meeting the 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) in Antalya. (Handout / Turkish Presidency Press Office / AFP)
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Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Presidency Press Office on April 11, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) during a meeting the 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) in Antalya. (Handout / Turkish Presidency Press Office / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Presidency Press Office on April 11, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) during a meeting the 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) in Antalya. (Handout / Turkish Presidency Press Office / AFP)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday that Türkiye will continue its diplomatic efforts to lift international sanctions against Syria, Erdogan’s office said.

During their meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, Erdogan said efforts should be increased to revitalize trade and economic cooperation with Syria and that Türkiye will continue to provide support to the country, the statement said.

Türkiye is an influential actor in neighboring Syria as opposition groups it supported during the civil war took power last December. However, the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad aggravated already tense relations between Türkiye and Israel, with their conflicting interests pushing the relationship toward a possible collision course.

When Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last month, he advised him to be “reasonable” in his dealings with Ankara.

Erdogan told the forum in Antalya: “We are in a state of understanding and close dialogue with influential actors in the region, especially Trump and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, in preserving the territorial integrity of Syria."

As if to underline this position, Sharaa sat just two places away from Erdogan’s seat in the hall.

It was Sharaa’s second trip to Türkiye as leader after Erdogan welcomed him to the capital Ankara in February.

In an apparent warning, Erdogan said that “no-one should misunderstand our cool-headedness and our stance of resolving issues through dialogue.”

The president has been a vocal critic of Israel’s operations in Gaza.