U.S. officials reportedly discussed Iran sanctions with Turkey, tipping Turkish government off on statements arguing Turkey is not obliged to follow non-U.N. sanctions.
20 Ağustos 2010 Cuma, 18:15:17
U.S. officials have held talks with Turkey over U.S. sanctions on Iran, U.S. and Turkish officials said, which is interpreted as a possible sign that Washington may be growing impatient with Ankara´s trade with Iran despite sanctions.
"There was an exchange of views about U.S. sanctions on Iran," a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told Reuters. "We told them Turkey does not feel itself bound to adhere to any sanctions other than those enacted by the U.N." Since June, the U.N. Security Council, the United States and the European Union have tightened sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, which Washington fears is a cover to build an atomic bomb. Tehran says its aims are purely peaceful.
Cumhuriyet, an anti-government newspaper, said Tüpraş, Türkiye Petrol Rafinerileri AŞ, Turkey’s sole refiner and gasoline exporter, was vulnerable to the sanctions.
It said state petroleum firm TPAO was readying to sign important agreements with Iran, and that the United States could sever all commercial ties with these companies.
Tüpraş said it is not selling fuel products to Iran and does not expect any sanctions to be imposed on the company, according to a filing with the Istanbul Stock exchange Friday. The U.S. may halt trade relations with Turkish companies that sell products to Iran, Cumhuriyet reported.
Quoted from: here
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