Turkey has agreed to increase the downstream flow of water through the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to Iraq, providing relief to the drought-stricken country. The decision, approved by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a request from Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, will raise water releases by 420 cubic meters per second starting July 2, 2025. This agreement aims to ease bilateral tensions and support the Development Road project, which seeks to connect Iraq’s Faw port to trade routes in southern Turkey and onward to Europe. The water deal is expected to advance joint infrastructure efforts between the two nations. Meanwhile, unresolved disputes persist between Baghdad and Erbil over oil revenues and export mechanisms, impacting the regional energy landscape. Additionally, Iraq and Kuwait face renewed disagreements over the shared Gulf waterway, Khor Abdullah, despite recent progress in their bilateral relations. Experts have called for international legal measures against Turkey and Iran to safeguard Iraq’s water rights, warning that temporary solutions may be insufficient.