Turkiye to end 52-year-old oil pipeline deal with Iraq in 2026

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed a decree to terminate the decades-old crude oil pipeline agreement with Iraq, ending a cornerstone of energy cooperation between the two countries after 52 years.

The decision was published Monday in Turkiye’s Official Gazette under issue number 10113. According to the decree, the 1973 agreement between Ankara and Baghdad will be formally annulled on July 27, 2026. All associated protocols and annexes will also be invalidated as of that date.

The agreement, signed in 1973, established the framework for exporting Iraqi crude oil to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. It was amended multiple times, most recently in 2010, when it was extended for 15 years—a period now set to expire next year.

The pipeline has played a central role in Iraq’s oil export capacity, including crude from the Kurdistan Region. In recent years, however, operations have been repeatedly disrupted by legal disputes and arbitration rulings, most notably a March 2023 decision by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris that led to the pipeline’s suspension.

Both governments have since signaled interest in renegotiating terms, though a final framework has yet to be announced.

(Source:ShafaqNews)