On Friday, religious leader Jawad Al-Khalisi warned Iraqi government officials of the possibility of earthquakes and calamities as a result of the growth of corruption.
During his Friday sermon in Al-Kadhimiya, Al-Khalisi called for “removing the manifestations of corruption spreading in the country, especially the manifestations of drinking bars, brothels, nudity, lawlessness, gambling, usury, unlawfully consuming people’s money, and neglecting the poor, the oppressed, and the sick,” and he added: “We see people’s suffering everywhere and in all locations.”
“This is a warning to government officials to pay attention to the interests of their people and country, or else God Almighty will bring them earthquakes, disasters, and calamities,” he warned.
In 2019, large demonstrations took place in Iraq’s central and southern regions in protest of widespread unemployment in society, the spread of financial and administrative corruption in government departments and institutions, and the deterioration of service and living conditions, prompting former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to resign under popular pressure and call early elections to exit power. The country was hit by a political crisis.
International studies recently urged Iraq to eradicate corruption from its underlying causes, which have accumulated over the years.
