ERBIL — Iraq and Turkey have initiated discussions to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, a member of the Iraqi parliament's oil and natural resources committee said on Friday.

Bassem Ngish confirmed that talks between Iraq and Turkey have resumed regarding the export of oil from the Kurdistan Region, underscoring Iraq's vested interest in resolving the issue in collaboration with Ankara.

"The ongoing discussions between Baghdad and Ankara aim to address the longstanding disputes concerning oil exports through the port of Ceyhan and related contractual matters," Ngish elaborated.

The focal point of contention has been the export of oil from the Kurdistan Region through the Turkish port. However, Ngish indicated that these issues are now being deliberated upon in the discussions between the Iraqi government and Turkish authorities.

In March 2023, Turkey discontinued the oil export route from the Kurdistan Region as a response to an arbitration judgment issued by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) based in France. This ruling mandated Ankara to provide compensation to Baghdad for what was termed as "unauthorized oil exports" from the Kurdistan Region during the period from 2014 to 2018.