Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Dozens of Government Officials, Lawmakers Arrested in Anti-Corruption Sweep – On June 28, government forces conducted raids in Baghdad and elsewhere that led to the arrest of dozens of current and former government officials on corruption charges. Some of those arrested were implicated in confessions made by former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili, who had been arrested earlier on corruption charges. Government sources said a total of 67 suspects were arrested, while others evaded capture by fleeing the country. The operation targeted at least 12 current lawmakers, as well as Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Ali Maarij. Among the most prominent figures were Muthanna al-Samarraie, head of the Azm Coalition; former Industry Minister Khalid Battal; the former governors of Wasit and Babylon; and several lawmakers affiliated with Samarraie and former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani. Those arrested do not appear to include individuals with direct ties to major Iran-backed militia groups. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the campaign would be a far-reaching effort to recover stolen public funds and vowed that no corrupt official would be immune from prosecution. Reports citing political sources suggest the government will offer detainees leniency in exchange for returning stolen funds, which are estimated to total as much as $200 billion. The arrests received broad support from leading political figures, especially Coordination Framework leaders, Parliament Speaker Haybat al-Halbousi, and Muqtada al-Sadr. In other developments, on June 28, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders focused on the recent U.S.-Iran agreement. Two days later, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi also visited Baghdad for talks on regional developments and Iraq-GCC relations, particularly attacks on Gulf states by Iraqi militias. During the talks, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restricting weapons to state control and expressed Baghdad’s readiness to host talks between Iran and the Gulf states aimed at promoting regional security and stability. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Explosion Rocks PMF Weapons Depot; Unidentified Drone Shot Down Over Green Zone – On June 25, Iraq’s Defense Ministry said an explosion occurred at a munitions depot belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in the subdistrict of al-Mansouriyah in Diyala province. The explosion caused no casualties, and an investigation is underway to determine its cause, the ministry said. Eyewitnesses also reported a series of secondary explosions at the site following the initial blast. On July 1, Iraqi security forces intercepted and shot down an unidentified drone that flew over the Green Zone in Baghdad. Shrapnel and stray rounds fired at the drone were reported in the Sadr City and Palestine Street districts of Baghdad, damaging several civilian vehicles. In other developments, between June 26 and July 2, three civilians were injured in legacy IED explosions in Anbar province. On July 2, an explosive drone struck a camp belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in the Kurdistan region of Iraq without causing casualties. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Oil Exports Rise to One-Third of Pre-War Levels; Foreign Minister in Syria for Pipeline Talks; Government Launches Housing Initiative – On June 28, the director of Iraq’s Oil Marketing Company (SOMO), Ali al-Shatri, said southern oil exports had reached nearly 25 million barrels so far in June. He also said northern exports through Turkey were holding steady at around 180,000 barrels per day (bpd). If accurate, his remarks mean southern exports averaged nearly 900,000 bpd during the month—a sharp increase from the 444,000 bpd average Shatri reported a week earlier. The figures also suggest a decline in northern exports, from about 230,000 bpd to 180,000 bpd, despite announcements by several foreign oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region that they planned to resume production following a prolonged suspension due to security concerns. Iraq exported more than 3.5 million bpd in February before the start of the Iran war. On June 29, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held talks in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara and Syria’s foreign and energy ministers on plans to export Iraqi crude oil through Syria. Hussein said the discussions focused on a proposed pipeline to the Syrian port of Baniyas, to be built in cooperation with foreign companies, but did not provide additional details. The talks followed recent discussions in Baghdad between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on involving U.S. companies in rehabilitating the old Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline. On June 29, Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved the “One Million Residential Land Plots” initiative as a national strategic project to provide serviced residential land for eligible citizens across all Iraqi provinces except the Kurdistan region. A high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Zaidi will oversee the initiative and develop its implementation strategy and timeline. In other developments, on June 27, Trade Ministry officials said wheat farmers across Iraq had delivered approximately 4.1 million tons of grain since the start of the harvest season. more…

For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.

POLITICS: Dozens of Government Officials, Lawmakers Arrested in Anti-Corruption Sweep

On June 28, government forces conducted a series of raids in Baghdad and several other provinces that led to the arrest of dozens of current and former government officials on corruption charges, according to the state news agency. Some of those arrested were members of parliament whose names were implicated in confessions made by former Deputy Oil Minister Adnan al-Jumaili, who had been arrested earlier on corruption charges. Footage from some of the raids appeared to show masked security personnel recovering large amounts of cash allegedly seized from the Green Zone residences of the suspects. Government sources said a total of 67 suspects were arrested, while several others reportedly evaded capture by fleeing the country. Those who fled reportedly include Hussein Monis of the Huqooq bloc (Kataib Hezbollah). The operation targeted at least 12 sitting members of parliament whose immunity had been lifted pursuant to judicial warrants, as well as Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Ali Maarij. Among the most prominent figures were Muthanna al-Samarraie, head of the Azm Coalition; former Industry Minister Khalid Battal; the former governors of Wasit and Babylon; and several lawmakers affiliated with Azm and the Reconstruction and Development Coalition of former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani. Those arrested do not appear to include individuals with direct ties to the major Iran-backed militia groups. At least eight suspects, including three members of parliament, were initially detained by authorities in the Kurdistan region before being transferred to federal prosecutors. On June 30, a government spokesman said Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had ordered the creation of a special bank account to hold funds seized during the raids, describing the operation as the beginning of a sustained anti-corruption campaign. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting the same day, Zaidi said the campaign would be a far-reaching effort to recover stolen public funds and vowed that no corrupt official would be immune from prosecution. A report by al-Mada citing political sources suggests the government will offer the detainees freedom in exchange for giving back stolen funds, which are estimated to be as high as $200 billion. As part of the campaign, Iraq has asked Jordan to extradite several business executives and former government officials wanted on corruption charges, political sources told al-Sumaria. The arrests received broad support from leading political figures, especially the Coordination Framework leaders, Parliament Speaker Haybat al-Halbousi, and Muqtada al-Sadr.

On June 28, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Baghdad for high-level talks with Iraqi officials on bilateral relations, regional developments, and the recent U.S.-Iran agreement. During his meeting with Araqchi, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi reaffirmed Iraq’s support for ending conflicts through dialogue and negotiations to promote regional stability and development. At a joint press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Araghchi said he had briefed Baghdad on the latest developments in U.S.-Iran talks, discussions concerning the Strait of Hormuz, and regional security issues. For his part, Hussein highlighted that disruptions to shipping through the Strait had severely affected Iraq’s economy by hindering oil exports and reiterated Baghdad’s readiness to host talks between Iran and the Gulf states aimed at promoting regional security and stability. Araghchi’s visit also included discussions on arrangements to bury Iran’s late Supreme Leader in Najaf, the release of Iranian funds held in Iraq, as well as Iraqi measures to prevent Iranian opposition groups based in Iraq from launching attacks into Iran. 

On June 29, Iraq’s Integrity Commission said that a court sentenced the former director of the Tax Commission and his wife to prison and ordered them to pay a fine of IQD 32 billion after convicting them on money laundering charges. The court also ordered the confiscation of 22 properties owned by the couple in Baghdad and Turkey, as well as gold holdings and bank accounts in Turkey and Kuwait. The commission did not disclose the length of the prison sentences.

On June 30, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi visited Baghdad at the invitation of the Iraqi government for talks with Iraqi leaders on regional developments and Iraq-GCC relations. During a joint press conference with Budaiwi, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Iraq remains committed to international law, reiterated Baghdad’s opposition to both attacks on Gulf states and the war against Iran, and described Iraq as “the first victim” of the recent regional conflict. He also said Iraq is prepared to engage in dialogue with Kuwait to resolve outstanding bilateral issues and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restricting weapons to state control and combating corruption. Budaiwi said GCC states remain committed to supporting Iraq’s stability and prosperity, praised Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s recent policies, and commended the Iraqi government’s efforts to prevent attacks against Gulf states from being launched from Iraqi territory.

Sources cited in this section include: Rudaw, INA, al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, Shafaq, al-Mada, social media, Iraqi PM’s office.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Explosion Rocks PMF Weapons Depot; Unidentified Drone Shot Down Over Green Zone

On June 25, Iraq’s Defense Ministry said an explosion occurred at a munitions depot belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in the subdistrict of al-Mansouriyah in Diyala province. The explosion caused no casualties, and an investigation is underway to determine its cause, the ministry said. Eyewitnesses also reported a series of secondary explosions at the site following the initial blast.

On June 26, medical sources in Anbar province said that two sheep herders were severely wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) leftover from the war with ISIS detonated near them in the subdistrict of al-Ubaidi, near the Syrian border. Several days later, on Thursday, another civilian was wounded when three more legacy IEDs detonated near an irrigation canal outside Fallujah in eastern Anbar.

On July 1, Iraqi security forces intercepted and shot down an unidentified drone that flew over the Green Zone in Baghdad, a senior military spokesman said. Shrapnel and stray rounds fired at the drone were reported in the Sadr City and Palestine Street districts of Baghdad, causing damage to several civilian vehicles. 

On July 2, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said that an explosive drone targeted its Degala camp near the Koy-Sanjaq district within Erbil province. The attack caused some material damage, but there were no reports of casualties.  

Sources cited in this section include: INA, Baghdad Today, Shafaq News, al-Jazeera.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Oil Exports Rise to One-Third of Pre-War Levels; Foreign Minister in Syria for Pipeline Talks; Government Launches Housing Initiative

On June 27, Iraqi Trade Ministry officials said that wheat farmers across the country have delivered approximately 4.1 million tons of grain since the start of the harvest season, which typically continues into July. According to the director of the ministry’s Grain Trade Company, harvesting has concluded in all but five northern provinces: Ninewa, Kirkuk, Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah. Iraqi officials expect this season’s wheat production to reach five million tons, which would allow the country to remain self-sufficient in wheat for the fourth consecutive year.

On June 28, the director of Iraq’s Oil Marketing Company (SOMO), Ali al-Shatri, said that southern oil exports had reached nearly 25 million barrels so far in June. He also said that northern exports through Turkey were holding steady at around 180,000 barrels per day (bpd). His remarks imply southern exports were averaging nearly 900,000 bpd throughout the month—a sharp increase from the 444,000 bpd average Shatri reported a week earlier. At the same time, the figures suggest a decline in northern exports, from about 230,000 bpd to 180,000 bpd, despite announcements by several foreign oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region that they planned to resume production following a prolonged suspension due to security concerns related to the Iran conflict. Iraq exported more than 3.5 million bpd in February before the start of the Iran war.

On June 29, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held talks in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara and Syria’s foreign and energy ministers focused on plans to export Iraqi crude oil through Syria. Hussein said the discussions centered on a proposed pipeline to the Syrian port of Baniyas, to be built in cooperation with foreign companies, but did not provide additional details. The talks come as Iraq seeks to diversify its oil export routes and follow recent discussions in Baghdad between U.S. envoy Tom Barrack and Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on involving U.S. companies in rehabilitating the old Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline. Any future oil exports by pipeline through Syria would depend on Iraq completing its long-planned Basra–Haditha pipeline, which would connect southern oil fields to the proposed export route.

On June 29, Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved the “One Million Residential Land Plots” initiative as a national strategic project to provide serviced residential land for eligible citizens across all Iraqi provinces except the Kurdistan region. The Cabinet also approved the formation of a high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Zaidi to oversee the initiative and develop its implementation strategy and timeline. According to a government statement, the committee will establish eligibility criteria and a beneficiary database, identify and allocate land, develop financing and economic models, and prepare the legal framework for implementation. 

On June 30, local sources in Ninewa province said that water releases from the Mosul Dam into the Tigris River had stabilized at 400 cubic meters per second, down from about 650 cubic meters per second in recent days. The sources said this is the lowest release rate in nearly two months due to reduced inflows from Turkey. They added that the dam’s current water reserves remain higher than in previous years, following critically low levels during the summer and fall of 2025 caused by sharply reduced inflows.

On June 30, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council said that the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court in Baghdad recovered IQD 19 billion (approximately $12 million) during its investigation into an alleged embezzlement scheme at the state-owned Iraqi Airways company. The Council did not provide further details about how the funds were recovered or identify the individuals or entities allegedly involved in the case.

Sources cited in this section include: Rudaw, ISHM archive, al-Sumaria, INA, Baghdad Today. 

Derived from firsthand accounts and Iraq-based Arabic and Kurdish news sources, the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor is a free publication of the Enabling Peace in Iraq Center.

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