Iraq announces its exit from the “grey list” and its transfer to countries with stable security.
Iraq announces its exit from the “grey list” and its transfer to countries with stable security.
2026-01-28 00:46
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior announced that Iraq had moved from the (E) list to the (B) list, which is the list of countries with stable security, while summarizing the results of intensive security and intelligence measures implemented during the past years.
The ministry spokesman, Colonel Abbas al-Bahadli, said at a conference attended by a Shafaq News Agency correspondent that the ministry worked to remove Iraq from the grey list, which is the list of high-risk countries, and was able to achieve this within the framework of ongoing security and monitoring efforts.
He explained that the Ministry of Interior has completed all its preparations for the 15th of Sha’ban visit in Karbala Governorate, through high intelligence efforts, reducing reliance on human elements, focusing on intelligence work and not being satisfied with visible security efforts.
He added that with the approach of the holy month of Ramadan, the organized crime detachments intensified field tours to monitor price manipulators, resulting in the arrest of a number of them, as part of measures aimed at protecting the consumer and maintaining economic stability.
According to Al-Bahadli, during the past three years, the security services arrested 16,214 people accused of health crimes, 12,742 accused of smuggling crimes, 3,552 accused of commercial fraud crimes, 3,523 accused of price gouging crimes, in addition to 2,941 accused of financial crimes, 2,447 accused of foreign labor crimes, and 1,781 accused of drug smuggling crimes.
Regarding economic crimes, he indicated that the number of defendants in money laundering cases reached 726 defendants, including 424 cross-border defendants, while the number of defendants in fraud crimes reached 672 defendants, foreign currency speculation reached 608 defendants, and currency counterfeiting reached 437 defendants, including 188 cross-border defendants, in addition to 202 defendants in currency smuggling crimes, including 29 cross-border defendants, and 200 defendants in forgery crimes, as well as the arrest of 31 defendants in digital currency (Bitcoin) crimes, including 12 cross-border defendants.
Al-Bahadli continued, saying that the security forces were able to arrest 22 people on charges of impersonating a doctor, as well as dismantling eight gangs that trade in what is known as “black dollars,” explaining that these gangs were covering the currency with carbon and selling it for meager amounts, before treating it with chemicals and re-offering it as genuine currency, operations which are considered a form of organized fraud and deception.
Last Sunday, the United Nations revealed that Iraq had moved from category (E) to category (B), thus becoming one of the countries with stable security.
Iraq’s move from List (E) to List (B) means that it is no longer classified as a country with high security fragility, and is now among the countries that enjoy better security stability, according to assessment criteria adopted by the competent security authorities. This will positively impact international cooperation, travel, and confidence in the security situation within the country.
shafaq.com
