At a Glance

• Erdogan affirms full support for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi.
• Joint press conference outlines military industry and defence cooperation goals.
• Turkey targets major expansion in energy agreements and BP's Kirkuk operations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a joint press conference in Ankara alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi following high-level diplomatic talks, emphasizing Turkey's commitment to deepening strategic, military, and energy cooperation between the two nations.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• Bilateral Commitment: "We have always worked to strengthen our relations," declared President Erdogan, emphasizing historical and strategic bonds with Iraq.
• Support for Leadership & Regional Impact: "We are ready to support Al-Zaidi," Erdogan stated, acknowledging that "Iraq has been significantly impacted by this war" and highlighting the necessity of regional stability.
• Defense & Military Cooperation: Erdogan expressed Ankara's readiness to expand defense ties, noting, "We want to support Iraq in the field of military industry".
• Energy Integration & Kirkuk: Outlining economic priorities, Erdogan asserted, "We want to sign larger agreements in the energy sector," adding that Turkey aims to "be part of British Petroleum's project in the Kirkuk oil fields".

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Expanding Strategic Cooperation and Support

During the joint session, the Turkish president Erdogan pledged full backing to Prime Minister Al-Zaidi's administration. Addressing the broader geopolitical instability affecting the region, Erdogan underscored the severe toll past conflicts have inflicted on Iraq. To help fortify Iraq’s national security and sovereign capacity, Turkey expressed its intent to partner directly with Baghdad in manufacturing, technological exchange, and military industrial development.

Strategic Energy Pacts and Kirkuk Oil Ambitions

A central pillar of the conference was the expansion of bilateral energy partnerships. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled Ankara’s eagerness to enter into larger, long-term energy frameworks with Baghdad. Specifically, Turkey expressed a explicit desire to participate in major international ventures operating within northern Iraq, most notably British Petroleum’s ongoing development projects across the Kirkuk oil fields, aiming to secure regional grid integration and energy transport routes.

FYI:

Turkey and Iraq share deeply intertwined security, hydro-political, and economic priorities. Following years of fluctuating bilateral relations over border security and unilateral energy arrangements, President Erdogan’s public backing of the Al-Zaidi government represents a focused diplomatic effort to institutionalize strategic cooperation. By pairing defense industry partnerships with direct commercial participation in major energy developments like Kirkuk, Ankara seeks to anchor itself as a vital strategic partner in Iraq's broader economic recovery and regional security infrastructure.