Alwaght- Turkey will ignore US’ reimoised sanctions against Iran and will keep trading with its eastern neighbor, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Sputnik.
"We will not support any sanctions. Yes, of course [we will continue trade] with Iran, with Russia, with others. Turkey is a sovereign independent country. If this is UN sanctions — we will join. Otherwise, we don’t," Cavusoglu said, when asked if Turkey planned to join US restrictions targeting Iranian oil sector.
In May, Trump pulled the US out of historic nuclear agreement, JCPOA, reached in 2015 between Iran and six world powers-- China, Russia, UK, US, Germany, and France-- under which Iran agreed to limit parts of its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of all nuclear-related sanctions.
Cavusoglu’s remarks echoed those of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who told Reuters earlier on Wednesday that Turkey will continue to buy natural gas from Iran in line with its long-term supply contract ignoring US' threats to punish countries doing business with Iran.
“We need to be realistic ... Am I supposed to let people freeze in winter? ...Nobody should be offended. How can I heat my people’s homes if we stop purchasing Iran’s natural gas?,” President Erdogan said
The US exit from the Iran nuclear deal, and reimposing sanctions on the Islamic Republic in August, drove a wedge between the Trump administration and world community. US sanctions on Iran’s energy sector are set to be re-imposed in November.
However many countries, including China, Turkey, India and some EU countries, have announced they will not follow the US unilateral sanction on Tehran.
European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini announced on Monday remaining signatories to the Iran nuclear deal is working to establish a special payment channels to do business with Iran to salvage the deal after the US’ withdrawal.
