Al-Zaidi: Baghdad Ready to Resolve Pending Issues With Kurdistan Regional Government

Iraqi PM's media office

Ali al-Zaidi, Iraqi PM.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has pledged to continue pursuing those accused of corruption, insisting that individuals involved have no choice but to return stolen public funds, describing them as the rightful property of the Iraqi people.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Zaidi said the government's anti-corruption campaign is being conducted impartially and without political, sectarian or ethnic considerations.

"We have not been selective in dealing with corruption cases. This is a criminal issue that has nothing to do with sectarianism, nationalism or any other affiliation," he said. "We will continue to pursue those accused of corruption, and it is only natural that those affected by these legal measures will object to them."

The Prime Minister stressed that there are "no red lines" when it comes to protecting public money and that no one would be exempt from accountability.

"Those involved in corruption have no option but to return the stolen funds, as they belong to the Iraqi people," he said.

Al-Zaidi also highlighted the close cooperation between the government and the judiciary, saying both institutions share the goal of recovering public funds and safeguarding citizens' rights.

Addressing security issues, he said the government had engaged in dialogue with armed factions, adding that their role would gradually shift towards political and social activities. He reaffirmed that, once the agreed deadline expires, all weapons would be held exclusively by the state and its military and security institutions.

On economic matters, the Prime Minister said recent delays in US dollar shipments had been caused by regional instability and disruptions to air traffic. He noted that transfers had now returned to their normal schedule as conditions improved.

Al-Zaidi also announced that Iraq would soon unveil a framework for political cooperation and an economic partnership with the United States, while continuing efforts to encourage dialogue between Washington and Tehran.

He said Baghdad also seeks to strengthen its economic partnership with Saudi Arabia, describing the Kingdom as a strategic partner for Iraq, while reaffirming that Iraq remains committed to its membership of OPEC and is seeking what it considers a fair share of oil production.

Turning to relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), al-Zaidi expressed confidence that outstanding issues could be resolved, stressing that his government favours addressing disputes rather than postponing them.


PUKMEDIA