Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Baghdad on October 17, 2026, to participate in a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). during the summit, Fidan urged Muslim-majority nations to coordinate their efforts to address regional instability, specifically emphasizing the need for a unified approach to the Palestinian issue.
Fidan's Call for OIC Unity on the Palestinian Issue
While attending the 52nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Iraq, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed that coordinated action is essential for the Islamic world. According to the source, Fidan used a statement on X to pledge that Türkiye would continue to defend the rights of oppressed populations and work toward regional prosperity .
This push for solidarity reflects a broader strategic effort by Ankara to position itself as a primary mediator and leader within the OIC.. By centering the Palestinian crisis, Hakan Fidan is aligning Türkiye's foreign policy with the core grievances of many Muslim-majority states, attempting to create a diplomatic bloc that can exert more significant pressure on global powers.
Deepening Trade and Energy Ties with President Nizar Amedi and PM Ali al-Zaidi
Beyond the multilateral OIC summit, Hakan Fidan engaged in a series of high-level bilateral meetings with the Iraqi leadership. As reported, Fidan held talks with Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, and Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, as well as Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zaidan and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
These discussions were not limited to diplomacy; they focused heavily on the pragmatic pillars of the Türkiye-Iraq relationship. The meetings addressed specific steps to deepen cooperation in the critical sectors of trade, energy, and security . This includes interactions with Falih al-Fayyad of the Popular Mobilisation Commission and Mehmet Seman Agaoglu of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, indicating that Ankara is engaging with both the formal state apparatus and influential regional power brokers in Iraq.
The Three-Way Diplomacy of Fidan, Abdelatty, and Araghchi
A significant highlight of the Baghdad visit was the simultaneous engagement with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The report says that these three ministers discussed the progress of various initiatives aimed at resolving ongoing regional conflicts through political solutions.
This tripartite interaction is particularly noteworthy given the historical tensions and competing interests between Cairo, Tehran, and Ankara. The fact that these three powers are coordinating in Baghdad suggests a shift toward a "regional-first" approach to security, where Middle Eastern powers attempt to stabilize their own neighborhood without heavy reliance on Western intervention.
The Unspecified Details of the Turkey-Iraq Security Pact
Despite the wide array of meetings,several critical details remain absent from the official accounts. While the source mentions that Hakan Fidan and Iraqi officials discussed "security" and "initiatives aimed at resolving conflicts," it does not specify whether these involve new military agreements, counter-terrorism cooperation, or specific border security protocols.
Furthermore,the report does not clarify the exact nature of the "constructive contributions" Türkiye intends to make toward regional peace.. It remains unclear if Ankara is proposing a spcific peace framework for Palestine or if these calls for solidarity are primarily rhetorcal tools to enhance Türkiye's diplomatic standing within the OIC.
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