Turkey claims unaware of Kurdistan Region’s Oil Export Resumption
Alparslan Bayraktar stated that Turkey has not been notified by Iraq regarding the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Turkish government has stated that it was not informed about Iraq’s decision to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region, despite Baghdad’s recent declarations that all obstacles have been cleared.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Turkish Minister of Energy Alparslan Bayraktar stated that Turkey has not been notified by Iraq regarding the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. He emphasized that Ankara has yet to receive any official details on the matter.
Turkish-Iraqi Talks on Energy Cooperation
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ayşe Berris Ekinci met with Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani in Baghdad on Wednesday.
A statement from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral energy cooperation and exploring ways to enhance joint projects in the oil sector.
The discussions come a day after İnkenci’s visit to Erbil on Tuesday, February, where she held meetings with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and President Nechirvan Barzani to discuss political and economic relations, including oil exports.
Read More: PM Masrour Barzani, Turkish Deputy FM Discuss Energy, Regional Cooperation
Following her meetings in Erbil, the Turkish diplomat traveled to Baghdad to continue discussions with Iraqi officials, signaling an ongoing diplomatic push to resolve the oil export impasse.
Oil Exports Will Resume Within a Week
Meanwhile, Iraqi Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul Ghani announced on Monday, 2025, that the necessary procedures for the resumption of Kurdistan’s oil exports are nearly complete, and the process is expected to restart within a week.
“We anticipate that within the next seven days, all measures will be finalized, allowing the export process to commence,” Abdul Ghani stated, adding that there are no longer any obstacles preventing the resumption of oil exports.
Echoing this, Kamal Mohammed Saleh, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) acting Minister of Natural Resources, told Kurdistan24 that the final approval of Iraq’s federal budget by President Latif Rashid has paved the way for oil exports. He emphasized that the only remaining step is technical coordination with Turkey.
“The budget law has been ratified and will soon be published in the federal government's official gazette, ensuring there are no legal barriers to the resumption of exports. From a technical standpoint, we are fully prepared,” Saleh said.
He also predicted that oil exports would resume by early March but stressed the importance of securing an agreement with Turkey before proceeding. “Since Turkey is a key third party in this process, we need to finalize discussions with Ankara to move forward,” he added.
While Iraq insists that all obstacles have been removed, Ankara’s lack of acknowledgment raises questions about potential delays.
As negotiations continue, all eyes remain on Turkey’s next move—whether it will facilitate the export process or demand further negotiations before allowing Kurdistan Region’s oil to flow again.