Iraq Prime Minister Al‑Zaidi expands anti‑corruption raids, seizes billions in cash and gold

Iraqi authorities have intensified a nationwide anti‑corruption campaign led by Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaidi. Security forces in Tikrit uncovered nine plastic water containers holding roughly one billion Iraqi dinars each and five containers of gold, part of a broader seizure of assets valued at about 200 billion dinars (≈ $152 million). The operation has so far led to the arrest of 47 suspects, including members of parliament and senior officials, and the confiscation of cash, gold, property and vehicles.

The crackdown coincides with a reshuffle at the Central Bank of Iraq, where Ali Al‑Alaq was replaced by Nizar Nasser, former head of the anti‑money‑laundering unit. Al‑Zaidi is seeking backing from Iraq’s Coordination Framework to extend the investigation to figures linked to armed factions, while balancing concerns about potential security tensions. He is set to visit the White House in July, emphasizing U.S. pressure on money‑laundering and terrorism‑financing concerns. The anti‑corruption drive follows earlier raids that seized large sums from other officials and reflects a zero‑tolerance stance toward misuse of public funds.