Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Ankara

Turkiye on Wednesday rejected accusations of interference in Iraq’s internal affairs, saying remarks by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had been “distorted.”

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said some Iraqi media outlets had “misrepresented” statements Fidan made during a Feb. 9 interview on Turkish CNN. He added that Ankara remains committed to strengthening institutional cooperation with Iraq across security and counterterrorism fields.

Keceli pointed out that Fidan’s comments were intended to highlight what Turkiye views as the threat posed by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara says has entrenched itself in parts of Iraqi territory, including Sinjar, Makhmour and the Qandil mountains. He noted that Turkiye is determined to see the group removed from Iraqi soil, as in Syria, and stressed the need to maintain and deepen coordination with Baghdad in that effort.

“Turkiye reiterates its support for Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Keceli said, dismissing claims that Fidan’s remarks amounted to interference.

The exchange follows criticism inside Iraq after Fidan said the PKK controls areas within the country and urged Baghdad to take a “wiser decision.” He also suggested the group’s presence could be ended through a short military operation, comments viewed by Iraqi officials as “diplomatically sensitive.”

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned Turkiye’s ambassador to Baghdad, Anil Bora Inan, to express its reservations, describing the remarks as harmful to bilateral relations.