Iraq’s Top Court Holds Political Forces Responsible for Widespread Corruption

Iraqi taxis drive past a Christmas tree decorated with images of slain members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, including commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and slain commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qasem Soleimani, at Tahrir Square in the capital Baghdad, on New Year's day on January 1, 2023. (AFP)
Iraqi taxis drive past a Christmas tree decorated with images of slain members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, including commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and slain commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qasem Soleimani, at Tahrir Square in the capital Baghdad, on New Year's day on January 1, 2023. (AFP)
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Iraq’s Top Court Holds Political Forces Responsible for Widespread Corruption

Iraqi taxis drive past a Christmas tree decorated with images of slain members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, including commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and slain commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qasem Soleimani, at Tahrir Square in the capital Baghdad, on New Year's day on January 1, 2023. (AFP)
Iraqi taxis drive past a Christmas tree decorated with images of slain members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, including commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and slain commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qasem Soleimani, at Tahrir Square in the capital Baghdad, on New Year's day on January 1, 2023. (AFP)

The Federal Supreme Court in Iraq recognized the lack of real will of the political class to combat corruption. This came in the wake of the Iraqi National Security Agency announcing that it had uncovered the largest crude oil smuggling network.  

“Iraqis have lost their confidence in public offices due to widespread financial and administrative corruption among employees at a time when the administrative system in Iraq was one of the most prominent systems in the Middle East,” said head of the Federal Supreme Court Judge Jassim Mohammed Abboud.  

While the parties behind the oil smuggling network remain unknown, defendants accused of embezzling $2.5 billion from a government taxpayer account are still at large. Nour Zuhair, the only defendant arrested in the case, was released on bail with authorities hoping to recover stolen funds.  

As for Abboud, he told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that corruption in Iraq is divided into two types. 

“Petty corruption is what is committed by junior employees, and this leads to the Iraqi citizen losing confidence in the public office,” he said. 

“Grand corruption is what is committed by senior officials or by some political parties. This corruption is what impedes the building of the state,” he explained.  

Abboud stressed that “the lack of a real national strategy and intention to fight corruption is the reason for its prevalence.”  

“When there is a real political will to end corruption, it will end,” he asserted.  

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Iraqi legal expert Ahmed al-Abadi said: “Efforts to combat corruption are minor compared to its prevalence in state institutions.”  

“This is due to lack of political will,” explained Abadi, adding that those involved in major corruption cases are not pursued until after they had left their post in the government. 



Lebanon: Mikati Says Diplomatic Efforts 'Intensify' to Secure Ceasefire

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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Lebanon: Mikati Says Diplomatic Efforts 'Intensify' to Secure Ceasefire

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday said that diplomatic efforts are ongoing to pressure Israel into halting its offensive on Lebanon.
He said that contacts have “intensified” in the past hours ahead of a session of the United Nations Security Council, aiming once again to achieve a ceasefire and increase pressure to stop the "Israeli aggression" on Lebanon.
He noted that “discussions are ongoing between the United States and France, which has requested the convening of the Security Council, with the goal of reviving a declaration for a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the resumption of talks on political solutions."
Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel ignited the war in Gaza. Hezbollah and Hamas are both allied with Iran, and Hezbollah says its attacks are aimed at aiding the Palestinians. Israel has carried out airstrikes in response and the conflict steadily escalated, erupting into a full-fledged war last month.
Israel has inflicted a punishing wave of blows against Hezbollah in recent weeks and says it will keep fighting until tens of thousands of displaced Israeli citizens can return to their homes in the north.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Lebanon and over a million displaced since the fighting escalated in mid-September.