Iraq is in the grip of one of the most sweeping anti-corruption operations in its post-2003 history. In the early hours of June 28, elite Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) units sealed Baghdad's fortified Green Zone and fanned out across multiple provinces in what Iraqi media have dubbed the "Dawn Crackdown" — a campaign ordered personally by the country's new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi.
According to Shafaq News, Iraqi security forces detained 67 officials, lawmakers, and businessmen across Baghdad and several provinces, in operations carried out under the direct supervision of the prime minister. Officials describe this as the first phase of a wider campaign that could reach more than 200 senior figures within 72 hours. The state news agency INA initially reported 47 detainees, while other counts have since risen above fifty.
The state news agency named a roster of prominent figures. Those held are led by Muthanna al-Samarrai, head of the al-Azm Alliance and a member of parliament, alongside sitting lawmakers Ziyad al-Janabi, Bahaa al-Nouri, Mohammed al-Karbouli, Aliya Nasif, and others. Also detained was Ali Maarij, deputy oil minister for distribution affairs — a figure the United States sanctioned in May, accusing him of helping divert Iraqi oil to benefit Iran and Iran-backed militias. Arrested lawmakers had their parliamentary immunity lifted ahead of detention, reportedly with the approval of Speaker Haybat al-Halbousi.
The trigger for the sweep lies in earlier arrests. The crackdown follows the detention earlier this month of former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, accused of overseeing a major corruption network within the Oil Ministry. According to judicial sources, al-Jumaili allegedly admitted to financing election campaigns for politicians during Iraq's November 2025 parliamentary elections and implicated numerous public figures during questioning. The Supreme Judicial Council said cash seized in the al-Jumaili investigation had risen to about $86 million, along with 70 properties, 21 vehicles, and roughly three kilograms of gold.
The operation proceeded without resistance. A security source said CTS units set up dense checkpoints and screened anyone leaving the Green Zone, with the only exemption granted to students carrying examination cards. Raids reached Sadr City, Zayouna, al-Mansour, and several provinces including Babil, Maysan, al-Anbar and Erbil. Several wanted individuals fled or went into hiding, though tightened border measures prevented any confirmed exits from the country.
Politically, al-Zaidi has secured rare cross-factional backing. Former premier Nouri al-Maliki congratulated him on "launching the operation to pursue those who have squandered the Iraqi people's wealth." Muqtada al-Sadr, Ammar al-Hakim, the Coordination Framework, and Kurdish blocs all voiced support, while the Iraqi Bar Association declined to provide legal defense for the detainees. Al-Samarrai's al-Azm Alliance, however, defended its leader and urged that due process be respected.
The prime minister has framed this as only the start. In remarks following a cabinet session, al-Zaidi said "the recent offensive against corruption is just a first phase," stressing there would be "no leniency." Authorities are preparing a list of fugitives for Interpol and have instructed the Finance Ministry to open a dedicated account for recovered funds, as part of a six-month operation.
Analysts strike a cautious note. Mousa Faraj, former head of the Federal Integrity Commission, welcomed the first collective effort headed by a prime minister but urged al-Zaidi to tackle older files — above all the Central Bank currency auctions, where corruption "reached tens of billions of dollars." The backdrop is stark: Iraq ranks 136th of 182 countries on the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, with estimates that the country lost between $150 and $300 billion to corruption over two decades.
There is also a geopolitical dimension. The raids come ahead of al-Zaidi's expected visit to Washington next month, and coincided with a visit to Baghdad by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — a reminder that Iraq continues to walk its familiar tightrope between Tehran and Washington.