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- Dec 29, 2008
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Turkey decided to partially cooperate with the U.S. and European sanctions on Iran, and will cut its oil imports from the Islamic Republic by 20 percent.
Turkey's Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz, said on Saturday that Turkey will make up for its oil imports by trading with Libya and other countries. It seems, however, that Turkey will not purchase oil from Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom refused to grant Ankara preferential conditions.
In light of Turkey's continued refusal to implement the full extents of the sanctions, it has recently come under heavy U.S. pressure in recent weeks, including warnings that Turkish oil companies might bear the brunt for such inaction.
According to the sanctions the U.S. is promoting, any country that does not downgrade its oil trade with Iran would face more U.S. sanctions and despite efforts by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to include Turkey in this policy, U.S. President Barack Obama despite a deep friendship between the countries decided not to grant Ankara a 'pass.'
Erdogan decided to limit oil purchases from Iran after a long talk with Obama at the nuclear summit in South Korea last week, and updated Iranian Presidend Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in a meeting last Thursday in Tehran.
Turkey to cooperate with West's sanctions on Iran by cutting oil imports - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News