National Wisdom Movement ties Zaidi’s leadership overhaul to government ‘priorities’

BAGHDAD — The National Wisdom Movement has linked a wave of dismissals and senior appointments by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to his government’s priorities of restricting weapons to state control, raising public revenues and reshaping Iraq’s financial administration, a senior party official said.

Hussam al-Hassani, the movement’s spokesman, said the changes were consistent with the prime minister’s objectives and not driven by U.S. demands. “These changes that have taken place, I do not hide from you, may be consistent with the prime minister’s priorities in the issues of restricting weapons to the state, maximizing economic revenues, and modifying the form of Iraq’s financial administration,” he told UTV.

Hassani said such changes were common for incoming administrations, with prime ministers often appointing new ministers and making changes at independent bodies and security agencies. “After acquiring political and parliamentary legitimacy, it is natural in the first stage of managing the government that the prime minister has the freedom to make changes and adjustments,” he said. On speculation over foreign influence, he said the changes were “certainly not the result of American conditions,” though he acknowledged the process could involve efforts to satisfy political blocs.

Over the past 10 days, Zaidi has replaced a string of senior officials inherited from the previous government, including National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji, Iraqi National Intelligence Service chief Hamid al-Shatri, Iraqi National Security Service chief Abdul Karim al-Basri, Central Bank Governor Ali al-Allaq and National Investment Commission Chairman Haider Mohammed Makkiya. He has also ordered sweeping changes at Iraq’s border crossings, including rotating all crossing personnel, reassigning Interior Ministry staff attached to the Border Crossings Authority and replacing brigade and unit commanders within the Border Forces Command.