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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Iraq, where he is expected to highlight Iraq’s cooperation on counterterrorism, support the terror-free Türkiye initiative, and emphasize joint responsibility in managing transboundary water resources, Turkish officials said Saturday.
The visit comes three weeks after Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Minister of Water Resources Awn Diyab Abdullah traveled to Ankara on Oct. 10, 2025, reflecting the intensifying diplomatic exchanges between the two countries.
During his trip, Fidan will hold bilateral meetings with senior Iraqi officials to discuss ongoing cooperation and regional developments.
Officials say Fidan will express Türkiye’s appreciation for Iraq’s support for the terror-free Türkiye initiative, which aims to end four decades of bloodshed by the PKK. The terrorist group earlier this month said it would withdraw from Türkiye under the initiative and abandon its positions in northern Iraq.
The initiative, launched last year, has seen the terrorists burn their weapons and leave checkpoints in Iraq’s Qandil Mountains where they held a stronghold for decades. A parliamentary committee supervises the initiative. Turkish authorities say the process is a step toward regional stability and the long-term goal of preventing cross-border terrorism, though the PKK’s Syrian branch, the YPG, has not fully joined the initiative.
In his visit to Iraq, Fidan will also outline plans to expand joint initiatives against other terrorist groups such as Daesh, which took over vast swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, but it lost its grip on the territory after campaigns by U.S.-backed forces.
Ankara and Baghdad have formed a coalition against Daesh with Jordan and Syria earlier this year, which Fidan has said will include intelligence sharing and joint operations.
Fidan is also expected to underscore the importance of sustainable management of transboundary waters, emphasizing cooperation in technical, scientific, and infrastructure projects aimed at improving water use efficiency in Iraq.
Energy and economic ties are likely to feature alongside security discussions. Fidan is expected to highlight the restart of the Iraq-Türkiye Crude Oil Pipeline, describing it as a positive step for energy supply security and bilateral trade, and may reaffirm Türkiye’s readiness to negotiate a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement.
Regional stability is also on the agenda. Fidan is anticipated to stress the need for adherence to the cease-fire in Gaza and to support efforts that reinforce Syria’s unity and territorial integrity. Iraq’s ongoing efforts to repatriate its citizens from camps and prisons in northeastern Syria are also expected to be recognized as a contribution to regional security.
Bilateral trade between Türkiye and Iraq remains robust. As of September 2025, total trade reached approximately $12 billion, with Turkish exports totaling $8.675 billion and imports from Iraq at $3.231 billion. High-level visits have reinforced these ties, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Iraq in April 2024, which resulted in 27 agreements spanning security, trade, agriculture, culture, transportation, and water cooperation.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also visited Türkiye on May 8, 2025, for the sixth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, during which 11 new agreements were signed. Fidan last visited Baghdad on January 26, 2025.
