Peregraf
The Turkish government has formally notified Iraq of its decision to terminate the long-standing 1973 crude oil pipeline agreement, while also proposing a broader energy cooperation framework to replace it.
An official source from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the Turkish Ministry of Energy had sent a letter to the Iraqi side concerning the termination and future of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline agreement. The source explained that under the terms of the agreement—originally signed in 1973 and amended in 2010—either party wishing to withdraw must notify the other in writing one year prior to the July 2026 expiration date.
“In line with these provisions, the Turkish government issued its formal notice of termination,” the official said, adding that Iraq has been in talks with Turkey since July 2024 to extend the deal.
The agreement governs the operation of the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline, which transports crude oil from Iraq’s Kirkuk and Kurdistan Region fields to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
In a presidential decree published in Turkey’s Official Gazette on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed off on the termination of the agreement and its annexes. The pipeline accord, last renewed in 2010, will officially expire on July 27, 2026.
However, the Turkish letter also expressed Ankara’s desire to renew and expand bilateral energy cooperation. It included a draft of a new agreement covering not only oil, but also gas, electricity, and petrochemicals—marking a potential broadening of economic ties between the two neighbors.
“The Ministry of Oil is currently reviewing the Turkish draft and will negotiate its terms to ensure it aligns with Iraq’s national interests,” the official said.
The Turkish move comes as Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) work to resume oil exports through the pipeline, which have been halted since March 2023. The suspension followed a ruling by a Paris-based arbitration court siding with Baghdad, which argued Ankara violated the 1973 deal by allowing the KRG to export oil independently.
The future of Iraq-Turkey oil exports now hinges on negotiations over the new proposed agreement and broader diplomatic efforts to stabilize the energy relationship.