Iraq's anti-corruption chief joins premier's delegation in Turkey for asset recovery talks

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The head of Iraq's Federal Integrity Commission, Mohammed Ali al-Lami, accompanied Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaydi's high-level delegation on an official visit to Turkey, where he pushed for stronger international cooperation to track and recover Iraqi public funds lost to corruption and transferred abroad. Speaking during the visit, al-Lami said corruption has no borders and warned that anyone seeking safe haven abroad is mistaken. He said Iraq would pursue all legal and diplomatic avenues under the United Nations Convention against Corruption to bring the assets back. Al-Lami described public funds as a trust and said the commission will continue working with international partners to ensure that all stolen assets are returned to the national treasury. According to the commission, the wider delegation is also expected to discuss bilateral cooperation with Turkey in the economy, water, security and investment sectors, along with implementation mechanisms for existing agreements and joint infrastructure projects.