Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly has approved a presidential motion granting the Turkish Armed Forces a three-year mandate to conduct cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria.

The unprecedented extension, passed on October 21, 2025, underscores Ankara’s determination to institutionalize its regional presence amid sweeping power shifts following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.

A Landmark Vote in Ankara

The motion, introduced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, received broad backing from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), its nationalist ally the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the opposition Good Party (İYİ Parti).

Only the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Parti) opposed it.

Lawmakers supporting the bill cited continuing threats from the PKK and remnants of Daesh as justification for a longer deployment.

Government figures framed the measure as essential for stability.

“Our soldiers are not occupying; they are securing Türkiye’s borders and ensuring peace in the region,” one senior official said during the debate.

Consolidating Power in Post-Assad Syria

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, following a Turkish-backed opposition offensive, reshaped the Syrian battlefield.

Türkiye emerged as the dominant foreign actor and quickly forged an alliance with the interim government in Damascus.

Under new defense agreements, Turkish officers are training and equipping elements of the Syrian army while jointly managing the dismantling of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The extended mandate provides legal cover for these operations, allowing Ankara to maintain pressure on Kurdish forces and secure territory along a 30-kilometer corridor south of its border.

Recalibrating Relations with Iraq

Parallel to its Syrian engagement, Türkiye has rebuilt ties with Baghdad after years of tension over unilateral incursions.

Since 2024, both sides have adopted what Ankara calls a “co-managed security” model, coordinating operations against PKK bases in northern Iraq.

Baghdad’s quiet designation of the PKK as a banned group and its silence on recent Turkish strikes highlight the shift.

The partnership is reinforced by the multi-billion-dollar “Development Road” project — a trade and transport corridor linking Iraq’s Al-Faw Port to Türkiye and onward to Europe.

Turkish officials present the initiative as proof that economic integration and security go hand in hand. Analysts say the three-year mandate guarantees the military stability needed for such projects, further aligning Iraq’s economic future with Türkiye’s regional ambitions.

Regional and Global Reactions

The mandate’s passage has redrawn strategic lines across the Middle East.

Washington, balancing its alliance with Türkiye and ties to the SDF, now backs a negotiated integration of these militants into Syria’s national army.

Russia, weakened by its setbacks in Ukraine and the loss of its main ally in Damascus, seeks to preserve its military bases through quiet coordination with Ankara.

Iran, meanwhile, sees the expanded Turkish footprint as a direct threat to its “Axis of Resistance.” Tehran has warned that “foreign powers” are trying to “redraw regional borders,” signaling a likely uptick in proxy confrontations.