Soon after Iraq's top Shiite cleric denounced the corruption rampant in the country, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi moved forward in replacing several top officials and ordering an arrest warrant against a number of high-ranking officials.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, special representative of the UN secretary-general for Iraq, said Sept. 13 following a meeting with top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf that Sistani wants major corruption files to be opened and those involved held accountable.

Some political forces were quick to welcome her announcement, although there are figures accused of corruption among their ranks. What's more, the protesters who took to the streets in October 2019 have accused these forces of pocketing public money.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, a close associate of Kadhimi confirmed that serious steps are taken to hold accountable those involved in corruption cases. The source said, “The investigation committee that Kadhimi set up Aug. 27 led to security forces arresting Sept. 15 seven senior corrupt persons — who will be named later — including the former director of the pension authority.”