Iraqi minister refuses to sign Development Road deal during Erdogan visit, then relents
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Iraqi Transport Minister Vehb Selman al-Haseni refuses to sign a transport agreement during a joint appearance with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Baghdad on Wednesday, sparking visible tension. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zeydi moves to intervene, and after a delay, al-Haseni signs two transportation accords with Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, concluding the signing ceremony.
The Signing Dispute
During the ceremony for bilateral agreements, al-Haseni initially stayed back. Erdogan, noticing the gap, asked aloud, 'Wasn't it five agreements?' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan then approached the stage. Iraqi Prime Minister al-Zeydi conferred with al-Haseni, urging him to sign. The minister ultimately signed two transportation agreements with Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Uraloğlu, completing the set of five deals.
Iranian Opposition
Al-Haseni is known for his ties to Iran; he is affiliated with the Shiite Coordination Framework and the Iranian-backed Badr Organization militia. Iran staunchly opposes the $17 billion Development Road Project, which it sees as undermining its own transit routes and geopolitical influence. Analysts assessed that the minister’s initial refusal stemmed from this alignment, rather than technical objections.
What's Next
The signed agreements move the Development Road Project forward, but the incident exposes the friction Iran’s influence can cause in Turkish-Iraqi cooperation. It remains unclear whether future phases of the project will face similar pushback from Iraqi officials aligned with Tehran.
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Iraqi minister refuses to sign Development Road deal during Erdogan visit, then relents
