ISTANBUL

The Development Road Project, led by Türkiye and Iraq, will make a "significant contribution" to the stability and prosperity of both Iraq and the entire region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.

In a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in the capital Ankara, Erdogan expressed Türkiye's desire to make rapid progress on issues such as the resumption of oil shipments through the Iraq-Türkiye Oil Pipeline.

Stating that his last year’s visit to Iraq gave significant momentum to bilateral relations, Erdogan said that Sudani’s determination and vision played a crucial role in reaching this point.

Steps were discussed for the rapid implementation of the Development Road Project, Erdogan said, extending an invitation to all interested countries to take part in this strategic initiative.

The meeting addressed relations between Türkiye and Iraq, regional developments, especially on Syria, Erdogan said.

“I would like to express this with great satisfaction: We do not view our relations with Iraq, with whom we share deep historical, human, and cultural ties, as merely bilateral state affairs. We consider the development of cooperation in all areas as a requirement of our fraternal bond,” Erdogan further added.

Noting that Iraq’s peace and stability are never considered separately from Türkiye’s own, he said there’s no place for terrorism in the future of the region.

"We reaffirmed our determination to continue the fight against PKK, FETO, and Daesh, which pose a threat not only to Türkiye's national security but also to Iraq's," Erdogan added.

On the trade volume between the two nations, Erdogan said that last year, the trade volume reached $18 billion.

"Through the Water Framework Agreement signed last year and the cooperation mechanisms we’ve established, we are focusing on implementing joint projects with Iraq, including the rehabilitation of infrastructure," he added.  

Cooperation in various sectors

Erdogan said they also wish to deepen cooperation in the electricity sector and expand it to other areas of energy, including natural gas.

The meeting also addressed cooperation in fields such as banking, industry, education, and higher education, and evaluated additional steps they could take, said Erdogan.

The Turkish president also praised Sudani’s approach, which has made “significant contributions to regional stability.”

Stressing the importance of Iraq developing good neighborly relations with Syria for the stability and peace of the region, Erdogan underlined Türkiye’s intention to continue working with Iraq on this matter.

On Pakistan-India tensions, President Erdogan said that Ankara is working to defuse the crisis before it hits "the point of no return, despite efforts by some to inflame it."

Al-Sudani, for his part, said the Development Road Project represents a major opportunity to strengthen integration between Türkiye and Iraq.

Sudani stated that they also discussed Türkiye’s cooperation with Iraq's private sector to establish industrial zones and factories in various Iraqi cities.

He also highlighted the importance of increasing trade volume between the two countries, noting that Türkiye is one of Iraq's biggest trade partners.

He added that some regulations are being adjusted to simplify and improve bilateral trade.

“We consider Iraq’s security as part of Türkiye’s security,” Sudani said, adding the Iraqi government’s stance on the PKK remains firm. 

The PKK is a “banned organization” in Iraq, Sudani said, vowing that Baghdad does not allow any group to use Iraqi territory to launch attacks against Türkiye.

The regional developments were also discussed, he said, noting that Ankara and Baghdad share common views on Palestine and Gaza.

“A massacre is taking place in Gaza,” he added.

He underlined that both countries hold principled and aligned positions, stand in solidarity, and agree that the attacks and ongoing threats against Gaza must be stopped.

Emphasizing that Iraq’s stance on Syria is clear, he said: “We see Syria as part of our national security.”

He called for an inclusive government in Syria that protects minority rights and sacred sites without exception, and ensures the absence of violence.

He said these issues were discussed with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and underlined that ISIS (Daesh) remains a serious threat to all and to regional security, which must be jointly addressed and eliminated.

Noting the consequences of Israel's aggressive policies that began in Gaza and later expanded to Lebanon and Syria, Erdogan said: "Israel thinks it can ensure its own security by drowning the region in blood, tears, and instability, but it will become increasingly clear over time that this is a sheer illusion."

Pointing to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Erdogan said that with Israel’s complete halt of humanitarian aid entry, the danger of famine has reached a catastrophic level that could lead to mass deaths.

“My dear brother and I agreed on the need to do everything in our power, including increasing pressure on Israel,” he further said."The Turkmens, who have always defended Iraq’s unity and integrity, continue today to contribute to the strengthening of both Iraq and Iraq–Türkiye relations despite all difficulties. I deeply appreciate my brother Sudani’s sensitivity toward protecting the rights and interests of the Iraqi,” he added.