Kurdish media : ` ` We hope it is only a technical issue and it will be resolved soon '' Energy Minister Taner Ali 's plane was forced to turn around in mid - flight Tuesday . He was on his way to a conference in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq . The incident occurred at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and Baghdad .
Kurdish spokesman : `` We hope it is only a technical issue and it will be resolved soon '' Energy Minister Taner Yildiz 's plane was forced to turn around in mid-flight Tuesday . He was on his way to a conference in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq . The incident comes at a time of heightened tension between Ankara and Baghdad .