Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Saturday Evening 7-4-26
Al-Shabaki: Washington Is Practicing Political Blackmail Against Iraq
The Information Agency/Baghdad... MP Qusay al-Shabaki confirmed on Saturday that the US administration under President Donald Trump is exerting pressure on Iraq to influence some of the country's sovereign decisions.
Al-Shabaki told the Information Agency that “American interference in the country’s internal affairs is increasing day by day, as it exerts significant pressure on some political forces that prioritize their personal interests over the country’s interests in order to implement Washington’s agendas.” He stressed the need to "prevent such interference in national decision-making, as it does not serve the public interest."
He added that "this blackmail practiced by Washington represents clear political pressure aimed at obstructing Iraq's foreign relations with its regional and international environment, and an attempt to impose security and economic dictates that serve American interests at the expense of supreme national interests."
Earlier, Mukhtar Mahmoud, head of the Turkmen Framework Bloc, affirmed that the United States has committed the most heinous wars in the region, noting that it has violated Iraqi national autonomy and targeted security forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces in several provinces. End/25
Alhurra: Al-Zaydi Continues To Pursue Corruption Networks And Personally Leads The Campaign To Recover Looted Funds
Baghdad - One News - 7/04/2026 The US-based Al-Hurra News website reported that Iraqi authorities are continuing to pursue corruption networks, noting that the value of money, real estate, gold, and cars that have been seized or impounded so far amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The website added that the campaign, which began at the start of last week, included the arrest of dozens of government officials, current and former members of parliament, as well as advisors who worked in previous Iraqi governments.
He explained that the investigations focus on tracking the paths of transferring public funds into private assets, including real estate, vehicles and valuable possessions, as part of the pursuit of funds that were looted during the past years….
The website indicated that the investigations are likely to expand in the coming days, with expectations of an increase in the value of the seized items and the number of detainees, and the emergence of confessions that may lead to new names.
https://1news-iq.net/الحرة-الزيدي-يواصل-ملاحقة-شبكات-الفسا/
Prime Minister: We Are Proceeding Steadily And Resolutely In Pursuing The Corrupt, Restoring Rights, And Establishing A State Of Institutions And Justice
Baghdad - One News - 7/04/2026 Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi confirmed in a tweet published on his official account on the “X” platform that his government is proceeding firmly and resolutely in pursuing the corrupt, restoring the rights of the state, and establishing a state of institutions and justice, stressing that this approach will not back down no matter how great the challenges or how great the pressures.
Al-Zaydi expressed his deep gratitude to the Iraqi people for their support of the reform process, appreciating the support of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Judicial Council, religious authorities, and the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, in addition to the Coordination Framework, the National Political Council, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and the rest of the political forces, security and regulatory agencies, tribal sheikhs, journalists and media professionals.
The Prime Minister pointed out that this broad national support confirms that combating corruption is not a battle for the government alone, but a battle for the nation in which everyone unites in defense of public funds, the rule of law, and the future of Iraq. https://1news-iq.net/رئيس-الوزراء-ماضون-بثبات-وحزم-في-ملاحق/
PM:"No Matter the Challenges, We Will Not Back Down from Pursuing Corrupt Officials"
Baghdad - INA - 7/04/2026 Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi affirmed on Saturday that the government is committed to pursuing corrupt officials, recovering state funds, and establishing a state based on institutions and justice.
Al-Zaidi stated in a post on the “X” platform, which was monitored by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Our government is proceeding, with unwavering resolve, in pursuing corrupt officials, recovering state funds, and establishing a state based on institutions and justice, and it will not back down from this approach, no matter how great the challenges or how intense the pressures.”
He added: “We express our deepest thanks and gratitude to our dear Iraqi people, who have taken a genuine and supportive stance towards the reform process.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in the Iraqi Parliament, the Supreme Judicial Council, our great religious authorities, the leader of the Shiite National Movement, His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr, our brothers in the Coordination Framework, the National Political Council, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, all other forces and parties, the security and oversight agencies, the honorable imams of mosques and places of worship, the sheikhs of our authentic Iraqi tribes, our brothers in the press and media, and all the national forces that stood by the government in its battle against corruption.”
Iraq Recovers $25 Million in Stolen Wealth and Targets $20 Billion in Global Asset Offensive
Stacks of seized Iraqi dinars and US dollars are displayed during a press conference by the Iraqi Federal Commission of Integrity (Nazaha) in Baghdad. The commission announced the recovery of the vast sums of cash, which authorities say had been prepared for money laundering.
The Iraqi Ministry of Justice announced on Saturday the recovery of more than $25 million in misappropriated state funds over a two-year period, alongside the launch of international legal proceedings across five nations to reclaim stolen properties and frozen bank accounts totaling more than $20 billion.
Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Al-Laibi confirmed that the state has secured several landmark victories in international courts, successfully overturning asset freezes and dismissing foreign claims through coordinated efforts with the Federal Integrity Commission under global anti-corruption treaties.
Resolution of High-Profile International Lawsuits
The ministry detailed several prominent international legal disputes that have been resolved in favor of the Iraqi state, neutralizing long-standing financial liabilities inherited from previous administrations.
Key judicial resolutions include:
The United States: A U.S. federal court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Global Trade Creditors foundation, which sought to enforce a prior judgment against Iraq. The court ruled in Baghdad's favor on the grounds of sovereign immunity, a decision subsequently upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Jordan: Legal actions successfully overturned all asset freezes previously placed on Iraqi holdings in Jordanian banks. The freezes originated from a 2010 lawsuit demanding $53 million over historical barter contracts connected to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Lebanon: Iraqi authorities secured the execution of a domestic judicial formulation in Lebanese courts, enabling the recovery of more than $20.48 billion belonging to the Trade Bank of Iraq.
Targeted Asset Recovery Operations
In addition to large-scale corporate litigation, the Ministry of Justice has successfully repatriated millions of dollars from accounts in regional capital cities and targeted the assets of convicted fugitives.
During the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years, the ministry successfully recovered $3 million in embezzled funds originally belonging to the Municipality of Baghdad (Amanat Baghdad). The capital had been frozen within the Lebanese banking system and has now been transferred to the official account of the Iraqi Embassy in Beirut.
Domestically, judicial authorities finalized rulings to recover more than 332 million dinars from the former director of the Securities Commission. Furthermore, executive procedures are currently underway in Jordan to seize $1.706 billion from a convicted Iraqi fugitive following a favorable ruling in Jordanian courts.
Complexities and Systemic Time Frames
Al-Laibi emphasized that reclaiming state wealth from foreign jurisdictions remains an intricate, long-term operational challenge. Due to the rigorous standards of providing legal proof and the structural differences between the Iraqi judiciary and foreign legal systems, individual asset recovery cases require between 2 to 7 years to achieve full resolution.
The Ministry of Justice reaffirmed that international legal enforcement actions will continue systematically until all identified overseas assets are returned to state control. https://channel8.com/english/news/60887