ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Turkey will stand by its contracts with Iran and not harm its “legitimate trade” by complying with US sanctions against its neighbor which imports fuel from the Islamic Republic.
“Supply security is very important for us. We have a business connection with Iran which has been in place for several years, especially in natural gas and petrol. Our natural gas contract deadline with Iran is 2026,” Minister Fatih Donmez told A Haber TV on Wednesday.
The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources added that this contract will continue.
He pointed out that his country buys 9.5 billion cubic-meters annually from Iran and “we cannot leave our citizens in coldness or darkness due to lack of electricity.”
Calling the US sanctions against Iran “unilateral,” Donmez said that even the European Union is “extremely bothered" by the sanctions.
European officials have promised to protect their countries’ firms legitimate business interests in Iran through a “blocking statue.”
US imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Monday and they took force on Tuesday. In addition to Europe, China, Russia, and Turkey have said that will not abide by the sanctions.
Turkish officials have avoided commenting on US sanctions against Iran in a bid to avoid harming the ongoing talks in Washington.
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and US counterpart John Sulivan. Composite photo: Rudaw via AA/US State Dept
Turkish delegation received in Washington
A nine-person delegation from the Turkish foreign, justice, and finance ministries was in Washington on Wednesday. It was headed by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, who was received by US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.
“We held additional talks with Turkish officials. The conversations continue,” US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told Rudaw.
The meeting was closed to the press; however, the Turkish diplomat briefly elaborated to A Haber TV.
“A delegation of ours is in the United States right now and negotiations are being held on a series of matters including the sanctions issue,” Donmez added. “I think a good outcome will emerge from this dialogue.”
Their agenda included discussion over the US Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is jailed at home in Turkey, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.
Nauert was asked during a press conference on Tuesday if an agreement had been reached between Ankara and Washington about Brunson.
“If we had reached any type of agreement, I think you’d see Pastor Brunson back here at home, along with the other American citizens. I don’t have any announcements for you on that today,” said Nauert, confirming that the two countries’ top diplomats held a phone call on Tuesday.
In addition to the Brunson issue, diplomatic concerns between the two strategic NATO allies include sanctions on Iran, a continued US presence in Manbij and support for the Syrian Democratic forces, and the US sanctioning Turkish Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul and Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu.
