Barzani, Erdogan discuss regional stability and bilateral ties in Ankara
Shafaq News – Ankara
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani headed to Ankara on Thursday for an official visit, where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
In a post on X, Barzani said the talks focused on “the close and strategic ties between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Turkiye,” noting that both sides explored ways to enhance cooperation and promote peace, stability, and shared prosperity across the region.
The two leaders also reviewed areas of cooperation between Ankara and Erbil, as well as the general situation in Iraq, the upcoming parliamentary elections, and the latest events in Syria. They praised the current level of relations between Turkiye and the Kurdistan Region, expressing readiness to further enhance cooperation in all fields, particularly in the economic and trade sectors, and in the field of energy.
Both sides also emphasized the importance of resuming the export of the Kurdistan Region’s oil to global markets through Ceyhan port, describing the step as beneficial to Iraq’s overall economy.
President Erdogan reaffirmed his country’s continued support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, describing Ankara’s relations with both as significant and valuable.
I was delighted to meet with President @RTErdogan in Ankara today. It was a timely opportunity to share views on regional issues, and the close and strategic ties between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region and Türkiye.We also discussed ways to further deepen our cooperation and promote… pic.twitter.com/YC6CDbWK7L
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) October 9, 2025
Ahead of his meeting with Erdogan, Barzani also held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The discussions reportedly addressed economic cooperation, security coordination, and the resumption of Kurdistan Region oil exports through Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, which recently restarted under a new agreement between Baghdad and Erbil.
Barzani’s visit comes at a time of renewed diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Erbil following months of stalled oil exports and tensions over cross-border operations in northern Iraq.
The two leaders last met in April at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where they discussed regional stability and mutual interests. Nechirvan Barzani’s previous official visit to Ankara took place in October 2024.
