Turkey plans to gradually reduce and ultimately end its military presence at the Bashiqa base in Iraq as Baghdad’s roadmap to disarm armed groups is implemented. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the remarks at a news conference in New York during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.
Fidan recalled that the base was established at Iraq’s invitation for counterterrorism purposes. He said a key step would be for armed elements in Sinjar to hand their weapons to the Iraqi state. Security in Sinjar was discussed at a New York meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. The two sides also held security talks in New York on September 23. Al-Zaidi took office as Iraq’s prime minister in May 2026.
Fidan gave no timetable for a withdrawal, tying any Turkish steps to progress on Iraq’s roadmap and the situation involving armed groups. His statement frames a potential drawdown as conditional on implementation by the Iraqi government rather than as an immediate move.
The minister also discussed Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Diplomatic work on the proposals is continuing, Fidan said, but no concrete result has emerged. Turkey, he added, is seeking to prevent renewed fighting and resolve disputes through diplomacy.
Fidan said work to establish the Mecca Defence Alliance is continuing, with a goal of selecting a secretary-general within two weeks. Pakistan has proposed a candidate whom member states are likely to accept, he said. Talks also covered security threats to Saudi Arabia and developments involving Yemen’s Houthis. During the UN week, Fidan took part in more than 40 bilateral meetings and multilateral discussions, with Palestine, Gaza and the West Bank among the main subjects.