Iraq conveys protest to Turkish ambassador over Hakan Fidan remarks

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry formally conveyed its reservations to Turkiye’s ambassador in Baghdad over remarks made by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during a recent television interview, reiterating its rejection of any interference in internal affairs.

Fidan said in his remarks to Turkish CNN that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) controls areas inside Iraq and called on Baghdad to take what he described as a “wiser decision.” He also stated that ending the group’s presence on Iraqi territory could be achieved through a short military operation, comments that were viewed in Iraq as diplomatically sensitive and reflective of an aggressive tone.

The ministry said it received Turkish Ambassador Anil Bora Inan at its headquarters. Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations Ambassador Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom told the envoy that Iraq considered the remarks “inconsistent with diplomatic norms and potentially harmful to relations with Turkiye.”

“Iraq is a constitutional state governed by democratic institutions, and the issues related to Sinjar and other Iraqi territories fall exclusively within national jurisdiction,” the statement added.

The Turkish ambassador said the foreign minister’s comments had been misinterpreted due to translation issues, explaining that Fidan was referring to members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) present in Iraq, rather than Iraq’s internal political affairs or its citizens.

The envoy added that Turkiye’s policy toward Iraq is based on respect for sovereignty.