Iraq jails oil official over illicit enrichment

Iraq sentenced to seven years in prison a senior oil sector official targeted by US sanctions and arrested as part of an anti-corruption crackdown, Iraq's anti-corruption body announced Sunday.

Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Ali al-Bahadli had been arrested in June during an anti-corruption sweep. 

The Commission of Integrity, a government body tasked with fighting corruption, said in a statement that an anti-corruption court had convicted him of "illicit enrichment." The ruling also requires him to return more than $20 million in ill-gotten gains to the state, along with a fine of the same amount.

Washington had sanctioned al-Bahadli in May, accusing him of having "abused his government position to divert Iraqi oil in support of the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies."

His June arrest came as part of a broader anti-corruption campaign launched by new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, which also targeted dozens of other officials, including members of parliament. According to Iraqi officials, the operation also aimed to curb funding for pro-Iranian armed groups and the smuggling of Iranian oil.

Zaidi, who took office in May with US backing, has pledged to pressure these armed groups into surrendering their weapons to the state, as Iraq faces mounting pressure from Washington to reduce Tehran's influence in the country.

While corruption remains widespread within Iraq's public institutions, convictions typically target mid-level officials rather than the highest echelons of power.