Turkish economy minister Nihat Zeybekci. (Lukas Schulze/Getty Images)
Turkish economy minister Nihat Zeybekci. (Lukas Schulze/Getty Images) 
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Resistance To US Sanctions On Iranian Oil Grows, Turkey Says No Plans To Halt Imports From ‘Brother Country’

BySwarajya Staff

International resistance to United States (US) sanctions on Iran is growing as Turkish Economy Minister announced that his country is not bound to follow US international directives, Reuters has reported.

“The decisions that the United States makes are not binding on us. We would be bound by any decisions taken by the United Nations,” Nihat Zeybekci, the minister, said in Ankara.

US had announced that sanctions on trade with Iran will be renewed following US President Donald’s Trump decision to back out of the Iranian nuclear deal last month. The US has been pushing for the curbs to be implemented world over and has skirted attempts by countries like India and China to push for waivers like the last time the sanctions were in place.

“We will try to pay attention so that Iran, which is a friend and brother country, doesn’t experience injustice or is wronged in these matters,” Zeybekci added.

India has been hit by the sanctions too, and Indian refiners have reportedly been asked to be ready to drastic reduction in Iranian oil imports. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan however, said that India’s decision on the issue will be based on the country’s interests and not under US pressure.

The US position seems especially hardened this time, and the US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, who is currently in India echoed the sentiment.