Turkish former spy chief Hakan Fidan last month traveled to Iraq for the first time since becoming foreign minister in June. The three-day trip was the most comprehensive Turkish diplomatic visit to its neighbor in decades. Fidan met with a plethora of actors from across the political spectrum in both Baghdad and Erbil.

Long-term topics such as water security, development and trade projects, and the fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)—an organization blacklisted by Britain, Turkey, and the US—filled the agenda. Given that these issues dominated talks, Turkey is clearly maintaining its traditional stances and priorities in Iraq. However, Fidan’s meetings with Iran-backed actors signaled a potential shift in Ankara’s approach. The top diplomat’s visit to Tehran in early September, shortly after his...