Baghdad issued a formal protest after remarks on PKK activity were seen as interference. Ankara says the comments were mistranslated and focused only on militants in Iraq.
Baghdad has summoned the Turkish ambassador to Iraq, according to reports on the afternoon of February 11. Al-Jazeera said that “Iraqi foreign ministry has summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad over Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent remarks on Iraq.”
Al-Akhbar in Lebanon, which is seen as pro-Iran, also said that “Iraq summons Turkish ambassador to protest [Turkish foreign minister Hakan] Fidan’s statements.” Fidan has warned about the role of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq. The PKK is supposed to disband and disarm. In addition the groups linked to the PKK in Syria are also expected to disband or integrate with the Syrian state. Ankara wants to see the PKK presence in the region completely removed. The PKK has long had bases in northern Iraq’s Qandil mountain area.
According to Al-Akhbar “the Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad, Anil Bora Inan, today, following statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, which Baghdad considered ‘interference in internal affairs’ and “an insult to relations” between the two countries.”
Iraq is currently in a crisis as no prime minister has been appointed despite elections in November 2025. Iraq also doesn’t have a new appointment for president. Iraqi Shi’ite politicians are close to Iran. Recently Iran asked that nuclear talks move from Turkey to Oman. This could be part of broader Iran-Turkey tensions playing out in Iraq.
“The Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad, Anil Bora Inan, today, following statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, which Baghdad considered “interference in internal affairs” and “an insult to relations” between the two countries, the report said. Iraq is expressing its “displeasure with the statements circulating in the media,” stressing that they “represent an offense to the friendly relations between Iraq and Turkey, and constitute interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and a violation of diplomatic norms.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during an interview with Reuters at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum, in Doha, Qatar, December 6, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)
Iraqi diplomat Ambassador Mohammed Hussein Bahr Al-Uloom said that “Iraq is a country of institutions with a constitutional democratic system, and it cannot be compared to other countries with different political systems.” He also spoke about “the Sinjar file and other Iraqi regions are a purely national matter, which is being dealt with according to national mechanisms,” and that “any external intervention to impose solutions is categorically rejected.” Sinjar is a part of Iraq in northern Nineveh province near the Syrian border. In the past Turkey has carried out airstrikes on Sinjar. It has said the PKK operates there among the Yazidi minority.
Al-Akhbar noted that the Turkish ambassador explained that “the minister’s statements were misunderstood due to a mistranslation.” Turkey has bases in northern Iraq and has fought the PKK for decades in the mountains of northern Iraq. Ankara enjoys good relations with the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq.
Turkey reaffirms comments were not meant to demean Iraq’s sovereignty
Turkey says that Fidan’s remarks “concerned the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) elements present in Iraq, and had no relation to internal Iraqi affairs or Iraqi citizens.” Ankara claims its “policy towards Iraq is consistent, based on respect for sovereignty and non-interference.”
Reports this week said Fidan has warned about the presence of the PKK in Iraq. “Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday that the presence of the PKK terror organization in Iraq will increasingly become a major issue, stressing that Baghdad will eventually have to take clear action against the group operating on its territory,” Anadolu said.
Asharq al-Awsat reported that “Turkey has indicated it may launch a limited military operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq, while stressing its readiness to work with any government that assumes power in Baghdad.”