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Iraq Crackdowns: Short Assessment ICOD: 11:06, 06/28/2026 BLUF: According to Iraqi and regional media outlets, last night’s wave of arrests and crackdowns came after the arrest and confession of Oil Ministry undersecretary Adnan al-Jumaili. Per reports, 47 individuals, including numerous Iraqi politicians, some loyal to former Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, were arrested in the sweeping crackdown on corruption. Per reports from local news outlets, so far, $85 million in money and assets have been seized since the start of the crackdown, with more expected, as an Iraqi government spokesperson has said that necessary actions have been taken to curb corruption in the country. According to regional analysts and subject matter experts, such anti-corruption efforts are common when new leadership takes hold in Iraq. Analyst Comment: However, the recent wave of arrests, specifically the scale of said arrests, is not as common, with some outlets characterizing the move as a “systemic purge.” The arrests come against the backdrop of an increase in both U.S.-Iranian competing interests in Iraq, increasing government pressure on Iranian-backed paramilitary forces subordinate to the Iraqi Armed Forces, and the ongoing tension in the region between the U.S. and Iran. Key Judgement: At the time of writing, there is a reasonable possibility that the aforementioned dynamics are directly related to the arrests, as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has long signaled his intention to implement institutional reforms whilst simultaneously being pressured by the U.S. to deal with Iranian-backed paramilitary groups in the country. This story will be updated as it develops.