Turkey Opposed to Unilateral US Sanctions on Iran


Turkey Opposed to Unilateral US Sanctions on Iran

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkey’s ambassador to Tehran stressed his country’s opposition to the unilateral US sanctions against Iran, saying Ankara is expecting a US delegation that would present new demands regarding economic cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on the second anniversary of a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, Reza Hakan Tekin said Turkey’s policy on the US plan to tighten sanctions against Iran is “quite clear”, adding, “We deem unilateral sanctions neither legitimate nor useful.”

The ambassador said his country has not still received any message or request from the US on how to deal with Iran, adding that Ankara will soon host a delegation from the US to see what demands they will put forward.

While Washington has said it wants to mount pressure on Tehran in all economic sectors, it has  contradictory policies on economic sanctions against Tehran, Hakan Tekin said.

“For instance, they (the US) once said they would drive Iran's oil exports down to zero, but announced a few days later that they could give exemptions; we are waiting for the US official demand,” the Turkish diplomat went on to say.

When it comes to sanctions, Turkey has a very clear background and has stood with the Iranian people, the envoy said, adding that his country does not regard Iran as an ordinary country like others, as the two neighbors  share many common interests in economic, political, defense and security spheres.

Hakan Tekin further praised Iran for its supportive stance towards the Ankara government in the early hours of the attempted coup that rocked Turkey in July 2016, saying the Islamic Republic has never allowed the Gulen organization to have any activity in Iran.

On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

Donald Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose “the highest level” of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

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