Peregraf — Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday summoned the Turkish Ambassador to Baghdad, Anıl Bora İnan, following controversial remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan concerning Sinjar, reaffirming Baghdad’s rejection of any foreign interference in its internal affairs.
The meeting, held on February 11, came after comments made by Fidan during a televised interview on CNN Turk on February 9. Iraq’s Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations, Ambassador Muhammad Hussein Bahr al-Uloom, conveyed Baghdad’s official reservations, saying the statements circulating in the media undermined diplomatic norms and strained the spirit of friendly relations between Iraq and Turkey.
Bahr al-Uloom stressed that Iraq is a state governed by constitutional institutions and a democratic political system, rejecting any comparison with countries operating under different frameworks. He underscored that Sinjar, like all Iraqi territories, is a purely national issue to be addressed through Iraq’s constitutional mechanisms and in line with national priorities.
The Iraqi official further reiterated Iraq’s firm opposition to any external intervention aimed at imposing solutions or exploiting the Sinjar issue for political or military leverage.
In response, Ambassador İnan said the remarks attributed to Fidan had been misinterpreted due to an inaccurate translation. He clarified that the foreign minister’s comments referred exclusively to the presence of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) elements in Iraq and were not intended to comment on Iraq’s internal affairs or its citizens.
The Turkish envoy reaffirmed Ankara’s stated policy of respecting Iraq’s sovereignty and non-interference in its domestic affairs, adding that Turkey remains committed to constructive engagement with Baghdad.
At the conclusion of the meeting, İnan said he would relay Iraq’s concerns and reservations to Turkish leadership, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong bilateral relations that serve the interests of both neighboring countries.