In Iraq, alongside the new prime minister, a respectable national effort is underway to rid Mesopotamia of dependence on Iran, to eliminate unregulated weapons and restrict them to the army and security forces, and to go far in pursuing corrupt individuals and recovering stolen public funds.

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For these courageous steps, we can only offer support and endorsement. Every free and honorable pen inside and outside Iraq should back this step and call for not exempting anyone involved in corruption, regardless of their social, political, or professional position.

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But there is a scent of corruption that haunts the big names, and people talk about it, naming individuals, yet they remain beyond accountability so far. They are, of course, innocent until proven guilty according to documents and evidence.

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The pursuit of corrupt individuals must be comprehensive and ongoing, with no protection for the corrupt and no neglect of any corruption case, new or old. All are equal before the law, and before justice, no one will be touched unless they are corrupt and have stolen state funds.

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In the Kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman adopted the accountability of the corrupt. Before embarking on it, he affirmed that anyone involved in corruption would not escape punishment, and he implemented what he declared, covering princes, judges, businessmen, and senior state officials, military and civilian, among others.

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This Saudi action opened a window for Iraq and beyond to hold thieves and robbers accountable. They have been or will be prosecuted to recover the state funds they stole while people were unaware, ultimately freeing their countries from this foul swamp by curbing the rampant phenomenon of influential people plundering state funds.

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However, this requires courage, like that of Mohammed bin Salman. In Iraq, deputies and non-deputies accused of corruption have been arrested, and large sums of money in their possession have been recovered. They are now being brought to trial, which is an important step on the long road.

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But what is more important is that justice reaches the big names so they can defend themselves. Either they are convicted and treated according to their crime, or their innocence emerges, and the accusations and information prove false, amounting to no more than malice.

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We congratulate Iraq on this direction, whether in disarming militias, freeing the country from dependence on Iran, or pursuing those who stole state funds and bringing them to justice for the law to have its say.

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We also stand with Iraq. We see in its recent moves, with the formation of the new cabinet, a highly important national effort that serves Iraq and restores it to its former state: free and independent, an eastern gateway to serve its Arab brothers, and above all, to serve Iraq itself.