Iraq’s Parliament to Question Interior and Defense Ministers Over Oil Smuggling
Iraq recorded 228 oil-smuggling cases and intelligence reports nationwide between 2024 and 2026, with 53 cases still under investigation and 11 referred to the courts
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraq’s parliamentary Integrity Committee is set to question the interior and defense ministers, along with senior security officials, on Monday as part of an expanding investigation into alleged oil smuggling networks, particularly in the Jurf al-Sakhar area of Babil province.
Taha Difa'i, head of the parliamentary Integrity Committee, told the state-owned Iraqi News Agency on Sunday that a parliamentary investigative committee comprising representatives from seven parliamentary committees had been formed to follow up on the oil-smuggling case.
He said the committee had already heard from the oil minister and relevant ministry officials, directing several questions to them and receiving their responses regarding the allegations.
On Monday, the committee will hear from the interior and defense ministers, representatives of the office of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the Energy Police Command, and other security authorities responsible for protecting oil pipelines and facilities.
Difa'i said the investigation would continue with relevant institutions before the committee finalizes its recommendations and submits them to parliament's leadership.
Rebwar Hadi, head of parliament's Legal Committee and a member of the investigative committee, told Kurdistan24 that Monday's meeting would begin at 11 a.m. He added that part of the session would also address the attack on the Khor Mor gas field and the findings of the government committee investigating the incident.
Parliamentary Probe Widens
The parliamentary investigation comes a day after Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi, who also serves as commander-in-chief of Iraq's armed forces, ordered all individuals implicated in oil-smuggling operations in Jurf al-Sakhar to be referred to the judiciary.
On Saturday, Zaidi also ordered the removal of nine security and administrative officials from their positions over the case, following investigations that reportedly confirmed intelligence information about oil smuggling, the existence of oil refineries, and alleged manipulation of the case.
The prime minister further instructed operational commanders, police chiefs, and heads of security and intelligence agencies to assume full responsibility for preventing oil-smuggling operations within their areas of jurisdiction, strengthen monitoring and security measures, and hold negligent officials accountable.
228 Oil-Smuggling Cases and Intelligence Reports Recorded Across Iraq Since 2024
The investigation has also drawn wider attention following the publication of official figures by Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity, which revealed that 228 cases and intelligence reports related to the smuggling of oil and petroleum products were recorded nationwide between 2024 and 2026.
According to the commission's statement on Sunday, its investigative directorate registered 152 criminal cases and 76 intelligence reports as part of its efforts to monitor suspected financial violations and irregularities in the oil and energy sectors.
Of the 152 criminal cases, 53 remain under intensive investigation as authorities work to complete legal procedures and refer them to the judiciary. Eleven major corruption and oil-smuggling cases have already been formally referred to the competent courts following the completion of investigations.
The commission also said that 37 of the 76 intelligence reports and documents concerning oil-theft networks were undergoing detailed follow-up and field investigations to verify the evidence and identify those responsible.
The figures highlight the scale of the challenges facing Iraqi authorities in combating oil smuggling and corruption in the country's energy sector.
The parliamentary investigation is expected to examine the responsibilities of government ministries and security agencies in protecting oil infrastructure, while seeking to establish how alleged smuggling operations were carried out and whether officials or institutions facilitated them.
The developments have intensified scrutiny of oil-related corruption in Iraq, particularly following the allegations surrounding Jurf al-Sakhar and the government's recent disciplinary and legal measures against officials linked to the case.