Turkey: We are taking concrete steps regarding our security memorandum with Iraq.

Turkish Defense Minister Yashar Guler said on Tuesday that his country "has begun taking concrete steps" regarding the memorandum of understanding on security cooperation and counter-terrorism signed with Iraq.

He added that similarly, "Turkey is closely cooperating with the regional government in northern Iraq to ensure peace in the region" and to end the "presence of the terrorist organization," referring to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

He also confirmed that "Turkey's war against terrorism will continue relentlessly until the bloody terrorists disappear from this geography," as he put it.

A dispute has arisen between the two countries over the years due to the military operations carried out by Ankara across the border against the banned PKK militants, who are based in a mountainous area in northern Iraq. Iraq says the operations constitute a "violation of its sovereignty," but Turkey says they are "necessary to protect itself.

Relations have improved since last year when the two sides agreed to hold high-level talks on security issues. After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Baghdad in April, he said that relations "entered a new phase." In April, Erdogan visited Baghdad after 13 years since his last visit when he was prime minister. Memorandums of understanding were signed between the two countries covering several areas, including a 10-year agreement on water resource management.

At the time, Prime Minister Sudani announced in a joint press conference with the Turkish president that the two countries had signed a strategic framework agreement overseeing cooperation in the fields of security, energy, and economy.

Erdogan said he discussed with the Iraqi Prime Minister the joint steps that the two countries could take against PKK fighters and welcomed Iraq's classification of the group as banned.