Security, Water and Economy…3 Obstacles in Iraqi-Turkish Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Ankara, Turkey, December 17, 2020. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office / Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Ankara, Turkey, December 17, 2020. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office / Reuters)
TT
20

Security, Water and Economy…3 Obstacles in Iraqi-Turkish Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Ankara, Turkey, December 17, 2020. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office / Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Ankara, Turkey, December 17, 2020. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Presidential Press Office / Reuters)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's one-day visit to Turkey is likely to spark a long debate within Iraqi circles, whether on the political level or over social media.

Iraqi-Turkish relations have been marred with ambiguity for decades for various reasons. Major contentious concerns include the water issue that dates back to the 1930s and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party since the mid-1980s.

The Turkish-Iraqi trade balance, which annually amounts to about $12 billion, surpasses the Iraqi trade balance with Iran. However, Turkey wants to ignore complex issues such as water and terrorism to focus on one aspect of the relationship with Baghdad: Increasing the volume of trade exchange to $17 billion.

Iran, for its part, is working at the same pace, seeking to compete with Turkey economically inside Iraq at a time when Ankara cannot compete with Tehran politically.

However, both Iran and Turkey are seeing Kadhimi's move in other directions, by strengthening his relations with the Arab region, which could leave negative effects on their status in the Iraqi market.

The relationship that has developed between Iraq and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially after the signing of a series of agreements and MOUs, as well as the opening of the Arar border crossing, would open new horizons for Iraq and would ease the pressure exerted by its two main neighbors.

This new reality has made Iran and Turkey deal with Iraq from a different angle. Despite the presence of Iranian-backed factions in the country, Tehran is keen to deal with Kadhimi’s government away from those.

Turkey, for its part, is trying to reassure Iraq about the water issue, but does not show flexibility towards the PKK.

In this context, Professor of Media at the Iraqi University, Dr. Fadel Al-Badrani, said that Kadhimi’s visit discussed eight main topics related to security, economy, investment, energy, water, railways, visas, and frozen funds.

But he added that three main obstacles still control the course of Baghdad’s relations with Ankara: security, water and economy.

He explained that the visit came as both countries are facing severe economic crises, the decline of their local currencies, as well as the problem of the PKK, which embarrasses Baghdad and harms Ankara.

Badrani added: “Baghdad is also concerned about water shares that are controlled by Turkey."

"It tries to resolve the matter diplomatically and to search for trade exchange opportunities that alleviate the financial crisis.”



UN: Lifelines Keeping People Alive in Gaza Are Collapsing

21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
TT
20

UN: Lifelines Keeping People Alive in Gaza Are Collapsing

21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
21 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Gaza: Mourners pray near the bodies of Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes, according to medics, during the funeral at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Photo: Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is appalled by an accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza "where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing," his spokesperson said on Monday.

"He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

"Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations."

Israeli ground troops for the first time Monday pushed into areas of a central Gaza city where several aid groups are based, in what appeared to be the latest effort to carve up the Palestinian territory with military corridors.

Deir al-Balah is the only Gaza city that has not seen major ground operations or suffered widespread devastation in 21 months of war, leading to speculation that the Hamas militant group holds large numbers of hostages there. The main group representing hostages’ families said it was “shocked and alarmed” by the incursion, which was confirmed by an Israeli military official, and demanded answers from Israeli leaders.

Israel says the seizure of territory in Gaza is aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages, but it is a major point of contention in ongoing ceasefire talks.

The UN food agency, meanwhile, accused Israeli forces of firing on a crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid over the weekend. Gaza's Health Ministry called it one of the deadliest attacks on aid-seekers in the war that has driven the territory to the brink of famine.