Türkiye and Iraq have signed a one-year agreement to keep the Iraq-Türkiye Crude Oil Pipeline operating, securing the continued flow of Iraqi crude to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan at a minimum rate of 750,000 barrels per day.

The agreement was finalized after talks in Ankara between Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair. It was signed by Türkiye's state pipeline operator BOTAS together with Iraq's state-owned SOMO and the North Oil Company (NOC), Anadolu Agency reports.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi described the deal as a strategic milestone that will ensure uninterrupted oil exports while deepening economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

He said Iraqi and Turkish companies will begin implementing the agreement immediately, with both governments also working on a broader partnership covering oil, electricity, water resources, and other sectors aimed at supporting regional development and stability.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the pipeline has become increasingly important as an alternative export route amid disruptions to Gulf shipping caused by the Hormuz crisis, which has affected the movement of around 20 million barrels of oil.

Bayraktar added that Türkiye plans to fully utilize the pipeline's 1.5 million barrels-per-day capacity and eventually transport crude not only from Iraq but also from Kuwait and other Gulf countries through the Ceyhan export terminal, strengthening Türkiye's role as a regional energy hub.