01-08-2025
Energy at full speed: Development Road redraws Iraq-Turkiye ties
Shafaq News – Ankara/Baghdad
Iraq and Turkiye are set to expand cooperation through the Development Road Project, which has evolved into a platform for a broader energy partnership, according to regional analysts.
Spanning 1,200 kilometers and linking the Gulf to Europe via Iraqi and Turkish territory, the project has 'significantly strengthened' bilateral energy ties, Sercan Caliskan, a researcher at the Middle East Research Center (ORSAM) told Anadolu.
'The Development Road has opened the door to future-focused cooperation, steering relations toward a long-term strategic framework,' Caliskan said, noting that the success of this effort depends on sustained, high-level diplomacy.
Energy analyst Yesar Al-Maleki of the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) pointed out that the Iraq–Turkiye Ceyhan pipeline in Kirkuk could be used to transport crude from additional producers, reinforcing Turkiye's position as a regional transit hub. 'It also enables Ankara to integrate oil extracted through hydraulic fracturing in southeastern Turkiye, in cooperation with US companies.'
Natural gas collaboration is also gaining momentum, he added. Imports from Turkiye could help Iraq reduce its reliance on frequently disrupted Iranian gas supplies. In the longer term, rising domestic output may allow Baghdad to export gas to Europe.
Al-Maleki also noted that Turkiye would benefit from broader gas transit capabilities, channeling supplies from Russia, Azerbaijan, and other sources into Iraq—further cementing its role as a regional energy hub.
Meanwhile, talks are already underway to replace the 1973 oil transit agreement, which expires in July 2026. Turkish officials have signaled that a more comprehensive accord is being considered, aligned with the broader objectives of the Development Road framework.
