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Erdogan's Visit to Iraq Postponed: ‘Time is Not Right’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP)
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Erdogan's Visit to Iraq Postponed: ‘Time is Not Right’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (AP)

Officials in the Iraqi government denied reports that the upcoming visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been canceled, confirming that its date has not yet been determined.

Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the visit has become unlikely because the two parties have disagreed on resolving disputes over oil exports, water, and security.

Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held discussions in Baghdad, aiming to pave the way for Erdogan's visit.

However, the sources said the talks were unencouraging for a visit, explaining that perhaps Turkish officials felt the visit needed more suitable conditions to ensure its success.

-Escalating dispute

According to Iraqi lawmakers, Türkiye sent indirect messages that the escalating dispute between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil over the budget, salaries, and oil exports does not provide a suitable political climate for Erdogan's visit.

Nevertheless, a senior Iraqi official confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Baghdad continues to prepare for Erdogan's visit.

The sources indicated that the dispute over exporting oil has not been resolved with Türkiye yet.

Last March, Iraq won the case against Türkiye after a years-long struggle over oil exports from the Iraqi Kurdistan region. At that time, the Turkish port workers banned any cargo ship carrying oil from the Kurdistan region, according to Reuters.

-Exporting oil

The Turkish government stipulated that Baghdad must relinquish the case and exempt Ankara from the $2.6 billion compensation to resume exporting oil.

Türkiye filed a lawsuit demanding other compensation from Baghdad amounting to more than $900 million.

Iraqi sources described the issue as very thorny, and the two parties could not resolve it even after Minister Fidan visited Baghdad.

Baghdad is not in a position that allows it to continue to stop oil exports due to financial obligations, so it is trying to find common ground with Turkish officials to resume the export of Kurdish oil.

However, the sources said Erdogan's visit is closely linked to solving this issue.

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Israeli Strikes Kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah Fighters

Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
TT
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Israeli Strikes Kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah Fighters

Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.
Women walk near destroyed buildings, with one holding the flag of Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, after an Israeli military spokesperson said that Israel would keep troops in several posts in southern Lebanon past the deadline for them to withdraw, February 18, 2025 - Reuters reported.

Heavy Israeli airstrikes killed 12 people, including five Hezbollah fighters, in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday, a security source in Lebanon said, in what Israel said was a warning to the Iran-backed group against trying to re-establish itself.

The Israeli military said the airstrikes targeted training camps used by elite Hezbollah fighters and warehouses it used to store weapons in the Bekaa Valley region of eastern Lebanon.

The airstrikes were the deadliest on the area since a US-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel last November. Bachir Khodr, governor of the Bekaa region, said seven of the dead were Syrian nationals.

Israel dealt Hezbollah heavy blows in last year's conflict, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah along with other commanders and destroying much of its arsenal.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday's strikes sent a "clear message" to Hezbollah, accusing it of planning to rebuild the capability to raid Israel through the elite Radwan force, Reuters reported.

Israel "will respond with maximum force to any attempt at rebuilding", he said. He added that strikes were also a message to the Lebanese government, saying it was responsible for upholding the ceasefire agreement.

There was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or from the Lebanese government to the latest Israeli strikes.

The United States has submitted a proposal to the Lebanese government aimed at securing Hezbollah's disarmament within four months in exchange for Israel halting airstrikes and withdrawing troops from positions they still hold in south Lebanon.

Under the terms of the ceasefire brokered by the US and France, Lebanon's armed forces were to confiscate "all unauthorized arms", beginning in the area south of the Litani River - the zone closest to Israel.