Turkey: Asia, EU against US ‘unilateral’ sanctions on Iran
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday that Asia and the European Union are against the US “unilateral” sanctions against Iran.
Speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, Cavusoglu said the US is implementing sanctions on Iran “unilaterally”, stressing that Japan, Asia, the EU countries and Turkey are against it.
In May, US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations – the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany – and reimposed sanctions against Iran, which had been lifted under the deal.
A first round of American sanctions took effect in August, targeting Iran’s access to the US dollar, metals trading, coal, industrial software, and auto sector. A second round, forthcoming on November 4, will be targeting Iran’s energy sector and financial transactions.
Seeking exemption
“We have conveyed (to the US) our necessary demands to get exemption on this issue,” Cavusoglu added.
Cavusoglu said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously mentioned that Turkey is taking natural gas from Russia and Iran and if it does not have more options, the country would have to continue taking gas from those two countries. He said the US took a decision, but it affects everyone. “You can take a decision, but why do you want to punish other companies and countries? It is not a decision of the UN Security Council,” Cavusoglu said.
US credibility in danger
He said Turkey has already told the US that its decisions are unilateral and when the countries do not comply with it, the credibility of the US will be harmed.
“Therefore, before taking steps on these issues, you have to consult especially with the countries of the region. You have to consult with the countries doing trade with Iran,” he said.
Cavusoglu said that the US has withdrawn from the nuclear deal with Iran unilaterally, but the European countries did not withdraw. “It means that they value this deal,” he added. On October 19, participants in the Asia-europe Meeting also reaffirmed their “collective support” for the Iran nuclear agreement Iran, saying the lifting of sanctions against Tehran is an essential part of the deal.
In a joint statement issued at the end of their two-day meeting in Brussels on Friday, the European and Asian leaders reiterated their collective support for diplomatic dialogue and the nuclear agreement which has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.