Türkiye and Iraq aim to conclude a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement after their long-standing crude oil pipeline accord expired, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on July 28.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi following talks in Ankara, Erdoğan said energy, transport, security and counterterrorism featured prominently in their discussions.
“The Türkiye-Iraq Crude Oil Pipeline Agreement expired as of yesterday,” Erdoğan said.
“Our goal is to sign a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement that will benefit both sides as soon as possible.”
The previous accord, first signed in 1973 and renewed in 2010, provided the legal framework for the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline.
Erdoğan also said the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) had been granted a stake in a BP-operated production field in Kirkuk. He described the agreement as an important step in bilateral energy cooperation.
Al-Zaidi said Iraq could supply Türkiye with 1 million barrels of oil a day. Erdoğan said that volume would meet Türkiye’s needs.
The Turkish president also said regional developments had increased the importance of the Development Road project, which is designed to connect the Gulf with global markets through Iraq and Türkiye.
The planned rail and road corridor would link Iraq’s Grand Faw Port to Türkiye and onward to European markets.
Al-Zaidi said Baghdad wanted to work with Ankara on the project, describing it as a “third river” alongside the Tigris and Euphrates.
“We want this third river to be a river of economy,” he said.
The two countries signed five agreements following the talks.
They included memorandums on rail and road transport through the Ovaköy-Fishkhabur border crossing and the development of transport infrastructure in Iraq in exchange for natural resources.
The remaining agreements covered educational and academic cooperation, youth and sports, and industrial property.
Erdoğan said Ankara and Baghdad remained in close dialogue over Türkiye’s efforts to end terrorism and its broader goal of a “terror-free region.”
He also said Türkiye was ready to provide Iraq with defense industry products.
The leaders discussed regional developments, particularly in Iran, Syria and Palestine, as well as cooperation on the sustainable use of water resources.
Erdoğan said bilateral trade approached $17 billion in 2025 and that Ankara wanted to raise it further.
