Turkey could potentially receive up to 1 million barrels of oil daily through an energy cooperation plan discussed Tuesday in Ankara between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. The leaders met to discuss security, trade, energy, transportation, water management, and joint infrastructure projects.
Erdogan expressed the goal of signing a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement "as soon as possible that will benefit both sides," noting the expiration of a previous agreement for the Kirkuk-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline. In a separate agreement, Turkey's state-owned petroleum company, TPAO, is set to acquire a 15% stake in BP Energy Company of Kirkuk Limited.
Al-Zaidi's visit to Ankara followed trips to Washington and Tehran. Following his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, American companies signed agreements and partnerships valued at approximately $60 billion with Iraq, which include provisions for alternative oil shipping routes from the Persian Gulf. One proposed project involves a pipeline connecting southern Iraq's Basra to Haditha in western Iraq, and subsequently to Turkey's Ceyhan port and Syria's Baniyas coast.
The discussions also touched upon Turkey's efforts to end its long-standing conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), whose fighters are primarily based in northern Iraq. Erdogan stated, "We are in close dialogue with our Iraqi brothers to ensure that our process of a terror-free Turkey and our vision of a terror-free region become a reality." The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has waged an insurgency since 1984, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.
Al-Zaidi is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia on Thursday amidst heightened regional tensions. Iraq is committed to preventing its territory from being used as a launching point for attacks on neighboring countries. On Monday, al-Zaidi ordered security agencies to investigate alleged drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, with Iraqi military statements affirming Iraq's commitment to preventing its territory from being used for such purposes. Certain Iran-backed militias in Iraq have denied any involvement in the attacks on Saudi Arabia, dismissing the claims as fabrications.