Karwan Yarwais, member of the Iraqi parliament, told Channel8 that an Iraqi parliamentary delegation met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara to discuss the restrictions on Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

Yarwais said that during the meeting, “we conveyed the demands of the people of Sulaymaniyah” regarding the issue of the restrictions.

He noted that they called on Erdogan to lift the sanctions on the city’s airport.

According to Yarwais, Erdogan said he would instruct the relevant ministers and his team to contact KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani to provide their assessment.

The Turkish Aviation Authorities initially closed their airspace to Sulaymaniyah Airport on April 3, 2023, and have extended the ban multiple times since. The most recent extension was earlier this year, with the ban set to last until July 6.

Ata Anwar, president of the Sulaymaniyah branch of tourism agencies and companies, previously told Channel8 that 200 companies, offices, and travel agents in Sulaymaniyah rely on Turkish flights, and added that the air ban alone has caused these businesses to lose at least $1 million a month in ticket sales.