Iraq’s federal integrity commission launches joint anti-corruption campaign with Kurdistan Region counterparts

ERBIL — Iraq’s Integrity Commission chief, Haidar Hanoun, announced the launch of a new anti-corruption campaign during a press conference in Erbil on Wednesday. He was joined by Ahmed Anwar, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Integrity Commission.

Hanoun highlighted the purpose of his visit to Erbil, stressing the importance of collaboration between Baghdad and Erbil in tackling corruption. “Our presence in Erbil is to issue a joint agreement to combat corruption,” Hanoun stated. He dismissed circulating rumors about his personal property, saying that he only owns two plots of land in Maysan province.

During the conference, Hanoun also accused businessman Nur Zuheir, a central figure in Iraq’s infamous “Theft of the Century” case, of forging 114 financial checks. He insisted that Zuheir “should be punished with 114 separate sentences” for these forgeries. Hanoun further claimed that Zuheir committed additional crimes beyond the theft of tax deposits, including the illegal seizure of 720 dunams of land in the Shatt al-Arab area.

Moreover, Hanoun revealed that Zuheir had stolen over one trillion dinars in customs deposits, adding that the Integrity Commission “will not tolerate any cover-ups” in connection to the massive tax fraud scandal. He called on the Iraqi parliament to weigh in on whether the Integrity Commission is colluding with corrupt individuals or actively pursuing justice.

In addition, Hanoun highlighted the commission’s cooperation with Interpol in efforts to recover stolen funds and extradite individuals implicated in corruption cases.

Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, addressed the topic of corruption through a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “As I have said in the past, corruption is a national security threat and must be treated as such by citizens, businesses, and the government. That’s why we’ve invested in banking, digital systems, and regulation. Today’s report on corruption in the public sector is part of this ongoing campaign.”