Only UN's decision binds Turkey on Iran: Turkish minister

Source : News Agencies | 13 Jan 2012

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said on Thursday that only the United Nations’ decision regarding to Iran were binding for Turkey.

Speaking to reporters in Istanbul, Yildiz said that "there is news that the United States and European Union (EU) have taken certain decisions against Iran and will apply sanctions on Iranian oil. Only the United Nations’ decisions on Iran are binding for Turkey. Any decision taken out of the U.N. is not binding for Turkey".

Currently, Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation (TUPRAS) continues to import oil from Iran. There is no change in Turkey's road map in importing Iranian oil on Thursday, Yildiz added.

‘We did not get any official memo or were notified officially in regards to possible changes on sanctions’ further clarified Turkish energy minister.

Explaining that even if EU made some decisions, since we are not a member of EU these decisions are not binding for Turkey Taner Yildiz stressed.

"US official"

The Spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Selcuk Unal, also said Thursday that "aside from the measures taken against Iran in the seventh section of the United Nations Security Council, Turkey did not feel any attachment to unilateral sanctions or sanctions by any group of countries".

Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Unal said that "Turkey will look at the contents of sanctions to be applied by the United States against Iran. Our general approach to sanctions is well known".

Only the measures taken against Iran in the seventh section of the UN Security Council are binding for Turkey, Unal stressed.

In response to a question on the recent visit made by the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns to Turkey, Unal said that, during Burns' talks in Ankara, the developments in the Middle East, the Iranian issue and Strait of Hormuz were discussed.