Turkey to Lift Embargo on Sulaimani Airport Following President Nechirvan Barzani’s Mediation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — Flights between Turkey and Sulaimani are set to resume after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to lift the embargo on Sulaimani International Airport, following a request from Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, an airport official confirmed on Thursday.

Dana Mohammed, head of the Sulaimani International Airport press office, on Thursday told Kurdistan24 that President Barzani personally discussed the issue with President Erdogan, leading to a breakthrough.

“After the Kurdistan Region President spoke with the Turkish President about lifting sanctions on Sulaimani Airport, the Turkish President promised to resolve the issue,” Mohammed said. “This is a good sign, and we are waiting for good news.”

Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün told Daily Sabah that the airline will soon resume regular flights to Sulaimani.

“Our regular seven-day-a-week flights to Sulaimani aim to strengthen trade, cultural, and tourism ties between Iraq and Turkey,” Üstün stated.

The decision marks a significant step toward restoring normal air connectivity between Sulaimani and Turkey, which had been suspended for months due to diplomatic tensions.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency also confirmed the lifting of the embargo on Sulaimani International Airport in a statement.

Earlier, in a post on the social media platform X, the President of the Kurdistan Region announced that he had met with Turkish President Erdogan in Ankara to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

Read More: Kurdistan Region President, Turkish President Erdogan Discuss Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Updated at 21:20...