Türkiye and Iraq agreed on Tuesday to deepen cooperation across security, energy, defense, trade and infrastructure, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying the two neighbors are committed to building a region defined by stability and development rather than conflict while pursuing a comprehensive new energy partnership.
Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi held talks at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, where they signed a series of agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation and strengthening regional stability.
At a joint news conference following the meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Iraq remain in close coordination on counterterrorism efforts under Ankara's Terror-Free Türkiye initiative, expressing confidence that both countries can permanently eliminate a security challenge that has imposed a high cost on their peoples.
"We are striving for our region to be known not for war, terrorism and conflict, but for development, prosperity, peace and stability," Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president said discussions covered regional developments, including Iran, Syria and Palestine, while reaffirming Ankara's readiness to support Iraq "in every field it needs." Erdoğan also said Ankara and Baghdad shared largely similar views on regional developments, praising Iraq's efforts to preserve its unity and stability while highlighting Baghdad's sensitivity toward Iraqi Turkmens, whom he described as an indispensable part of Syria's social fabric and a key pillar of the longstanding brotherhood between the two nations.
