Daijiworld Media Network – Ankara
Ankara, Jul 29: Turkiye is set to deepen its energy partnership with Iraq, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announcing that the country could receive up to one million barrels of crude oil per day under a proposed agreement with Baghdad.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan said the offer came as part of broader discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, security, transport and water management.
Erdogan also announced that state-owned Turkish Petroleum (TPOA) would acquire a 15 per cent stake in BP Energy Company of Kirkuk Limited, which operates the Kirkuk oilfield in northern Iraq.
The announcement comes days after the expiry of the 1975 Iraq-Turkiye crude oil agreement that governed operations of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which transports Iraqi crude to Turkiye's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Instead of renewing the decades-old accord, Ankara said both countries were working on a new framework for long-term energy cooperation.
Confirming Iraq's proposal, Erdogan said the supply of one million barrels of oil per day would help meet Turkiye's energy requirements.
Analysts say the agreement reflects Ankara's strategy of diversifying its energy sources while strengthening regional cooperation. They also note that recent geopolitical tensions, including disruptions to energy routes in the region, have increased the strategic importance of alternative supply corridors through Turkiye.
Beyond energy, the two countries also discussed regional security, particularly cooperation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkiye, the United States and the European Union classify as a terrorist organisation.
Although the PKK announced its disarmament in 2025 as part of a peace initiative, Turkiye continues to view the group's presence in northern Iraq as a security concern. Turkish forces maintain several military bases in the region as part of operations against the group.
Erdogan said Ankara and Baghdad were working closely to achieve a "terror-free" region while expanding cooperation in energy and infrastructure, describing the growing partnership as beneficial for both countries amid evolving regional challenges.