Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Sunday Morning 5-31-26
Members of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee: Al-Zidi's steps represent a strong start to combating corruption and recovering state funds
latest news Sunday, May 31, 2026 Baghdad - One News Members of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee praised the measures taken by Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi in the fight against corruption, considering that the formation of the Sovereign Council for Integrity and Recovery of Funds and the start of reviewing government contracts represent a strong start in the path of reform and holding those involved in wasting public money accountable.
Members of the committee affirmed that the recent steps reflect a serious political will to open major corruption files and review contracts concluded during the past years, in order to protect public funds and recover wasted money for the state treasury.
They pointed out that the government campaign has entered the practical implementation phase by activating oversight and legal procedures against a number of files that are subject to audit, stressing that the next phase may witness the taking of more judicial and administrative measures against those involved in corruption cases in accordance with the law.
The committee members added that the success of these efforts requires continued coordination between the government, the judiciary, and oversight bodies to ensure that no entity or individual involved in corruption cases escapes legal accountability.
https://1news-iq.net/أعضاء-بلجنة-النزاهة-النيابية-خطوات-ال/
New Iraq Anti-Corruption Council Is ‘Illegal’, MP Warns
2026-05-31 04:45 Shafaq News- Baghdad The new anti-corruption council formed by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi violates constitutional provisions governing the country's independent watchdog bodies, lawmaker Mohammad Jasem Al-Khafaji said on Sunday.
A day earlier, Al-Zaidi ordered the formation of the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight, and Recovery of Public Funds, which he will chair alongside the heads of the Federal Integrity Commission and the Federal Board of Supreme Audit. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the council will oversee ministries, provincial governments and other state institutions on major issues affecting public finances, with the aim of preventing waste of public funds, recovering state assets and referring findings to the judiciary.
However, Al-Khafaji, an MP from the Ishraqat Kanoon bloc that holds eight seats in parliament, argued that the two bodies are tasked with overseeing the executive branch and investigating corruption and waste of public funds, including within government ministries and the prime minister's office itself.
"How can the prime minister be the head of their council?" he asked, describing the move as a "clear constitutional and legal violation." The lawmaker urged the government to strengthen oversight institutions by nominating qualified candidates to lead them and submitting those nominations to Parliament for approval, rather than continuing to rely on acting officials.
He further called on the government to work through existing legislation governing the Integrity Commission and the Federal Board of Supreme Audit instead of establishing “illegal councils."
Al-Zaidi, according to his government’s pledge, is pursuing a broader anti-corruption campaign focused on strengthening financial oversight, reviewing major government contracts and recovering public funds.
On Saturday, he also directed the new council to assess the economic viability of government projects and establish specialized committees to review public contracts and ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations.
Read more: What does Iraq's new government promise? A guide to Ali Al-Zaidi's ministerial program
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/New-Iraq-anti-corruption-council-is-illegal-MP-warns
Al-Sudani To The Elders Of The Al-Shaab Area: The Relationship With The Tribes Is Permanent And Represents An Extension Of A Steadfast Path In Serving The Nation - 5/30/2026
Baghdad - One News 5/30/2026 The head of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, received a group of sheikhs and dignitaries from the Al-Shaab area in Baghdad. During the meeting, the general situation was reviewed, and the role of the tribes in maintaining civil peace and supporting the state’s progress was emphasized.
Al-Sudani affirmed that the relationship with the tribes is long-standing, enduring, and constantly renewed, representing a continuation of a consistent commitment to serving national causes. He explained that the tribes' support and ongoing coordination were key factors in the success of previous government initiatives.
He called for supporting the current government in confronting present challenges and backing its efforts and those of its ministers, expressing his gratitude to all who have supported the state and government since 2003.
https://1news-iq.net/السوداني-لوجهاء-منطقة-الشعب-العلاقة-م/
Middle East: Al-Zaydi Is Expected To Make Major Changes Affecting The Popular Mobilization Forces As Part Of Steps To Restrict Weapons To The State
latest news Sunday,May 31, 2026 Baghdad - One News Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that Iraq may witness steps in the coming period related to the issue of restricting weapons to the state, in conjunction with the completion of the plan to disband and integrate the Peace Brigades.
The newspaper added that the anticipated moves include the handover of weapons by a number of armed factions, as part of a process aimed at disarming heavy and medium weapons and restructuring the Popular Mobilization Forces.
She noted that these measures coincide with expected changes in some sensitive security agencies, which may include the intelligence service, as part of broader arrangements related to the country's security system.
The issue of restricting weapons to the state is one of the most complex and sensitive issues in Iraq, given its overlap with security, political and institutional dimensions, at a time when the government is seeking to strengthen state authority and consolidate its monopoly on the use of armed force. https://1news-iq.net/الشرق-الأوسط-من-المتوقع-أن-يجري-الزيدي/
Al-Sadr's Disarmament Move Reached US, Aimed At Easing Pressure On Iraq
2026-05-31 / 04:14 Shafaq News- Baghdad Muqtada Al-Sadr's decision to dissolve ties with Saraya Al-Salam, the armed wing of his Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM), was conveyed to Washington, political analyst Rafid Al-Atwani told Shafaq News on Sunday, describing the move as an effort by Al-Sadr to ease pressure on the Iraqi government amid mounting international scrutiny of armed groups.
Al-Atwani, who is close to the PSM, argued that armed groups such as the Mahdi Army, founded by al-Sadr in 2003, emerged during the years of the US military presence in Iraq, while the current government has adopted a policy of restricting weapons to state institutions.
Al-Sadr, according to Al-Atwani, had previously sought to integrate Saraya Al-Salam members into Iraq's security institutions, but successive governments rejected the proposal and maintained the presence of armed factions outside official structures.
Saraya Al-Salam currently operates through three brigades within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a predominantly Shiite umbrella force incorporated into the Iraqi state in 2016. However, he suggested that the group's members could eventually be withdrawn from the PMF and integrated into another security institution, possibly the Federal Police, citing Al-Sadr's longstanding reservations about the PMF's leadership and some of its factions.
He noted that around 400 Saraya Al-Salam members remain outside the PMF structure and would require separate legal and financial arrangements, while some personnel could eventually be transferred to Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous, a civil organization affiliated with Al-Sadr.
The Shiite cleric's latest move, the analyst added, differs from previous suspensions or dissolutions of armed groups linked to the movement, noting that Al-Sadr took the decision to “keep the country away from the threat of military strikes or sanctions.”
Asked whether a new armed formation linked to the movement could emerge in the future, Al-Atwani said it was too early to tell. "Any new formation will depend on the circumstances Iraq faces in the future," he remarked.
On May 27, Al-Sadr announced the formal separation of Saraya Al-Salam from the PSM, stating that its members would join state institutions "in the national interest."
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, who has made state control over weapons a central pledge of his government program, and representatives of Al-Sadr had agreed on a mechanism to integrate the group into Iraq's security forces and transfer its weapons to the state, forming a committee to oversee the implementation process.
Read more: Ali Al-Zaidi's incomplete cabinet faces Iraqi armed factions test
The broader government plan is widely viewed as extending beyond Saraya Al-Salam to factions operating under the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" umbrella, including Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhadaa, and Harakat al-Nujaba. Although many of these groups are formally part of the PMF, they continue to maintain separate command structures and weapons networks outside direct government control.
Washington has increased pressure on Baghdad, linking support for the Iraqi government to limiting the role of armed factions within state institutions and their disarmament.
A source previously told Shafaq News that Iraq's Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the country's main ruling coalition that includes parties linked to armed factions, is expected to discuss Al-Sadr's decision, the future of the PMF, and broader efforts to place weapons under state control during a meeting with Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi in the coming days.
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Al-Sadr-s-disarmament-move-reached-US-aimed-at-easing-pressure-on-Iraq
Baghdad Advances Roadmap For Armed Faction Integration - 5/30/2026
2026-05-30 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi is preparing to launch the next phase of efforts to bring armed factions under state control, with a high-level meeting planned to set a timetable for disarmament, integration of fighters into official institutions, and the dismantling of faction-controlled sites, a government source told Shafaq News on Saturday.
The process will be carried out in three stages. The first stage involves identifying and documenting sites belonging to each faction or movement, followed by the assessment and handover of weapons according to a defined timetable. The third stage focuses on integrating faction members into the state institutions or the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
According to the source, the integration process will be overseen by joint committees composed of representatives from the participating factions, relevant ministries, and security and military institutions under the supervision of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Earlier this week, a committee formed by Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM) leader Muqtada Al-Sadr convened its first meeting to oversee the formal full separation of Saraya Al-Salam from the movement and begin implementing the measures required under Al-Sadr’s one-week deadline.
Most of Iraq’s current armed groups emerged after the 2003 US-led invasion and expanded significantly following ISIS' takeover of large parts of Iraq in 2014.
The issue has also drawn growing international attention, particularly from the United States, which has linked support for the Iraqi government to reducing the influence of armed factions within state institutions.
Reports indicate that Washington opposes the participation of armed factions in government unless they are disarmed and has also called for ending government funding for some formations, adding pressure to Iraq’s already complex political landscape.
Read more: After Al-Sadr’s decision, is Iraq closer to restricting weapons to the state?
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Baghdad-advances-roadmap-for-armed-faction-integration