Energy Minister Bayraktar holds high-level talks in Iraq

ISTANBUL

Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar held high-level talks in Iraq to discuss cooperation in oil, electricity, and gas sectors as well as bilateral trade.

In Baghdad, Bayraktar met with Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on March 16.

The meeting dealt with issues related to electricity, gas and oil, as well as ways to develop existing cooperation in the energy sector, according to a statement from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The two sides agreed to double the amount of electricity that Türkiye would provide to Iraq, the statement read.

“Furthermore, the two sides touched on the possibility of importing gas from Türkiye to meet the needs of Iraq’s power plants, and means to strengthen cooperation in this area,” it added.

They also discussed encouraging Turkish companies and providing the necessary facilities to invest in the oil and gas sector in Iraq, according to the statement.

Bayraktar’s visit to Iraq took place shortly after the U.S. decided to end a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from Iran.

In the Iraqi capital, Bayraktar also held talks with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

“We evaluated what could be done to deepen our cooperation in the field of energy and contribute to regional energy security,” Bayraktar wrote on X.

“We agreed to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Iraq,” he added.

Bayraktar also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Oil Minister Hayyan Abdulgani and Electricity Minister Ziyad Ali Fadhil.

Bayraktar later traveled to Erbil for talks with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

“During our meeting, we discussed the steps to be taken to develop our oil and electricity trade and what can be done to develop cooperation with our public-private companies in the hydrocarbon fields in the region,” Bayraktar wrote on X.