Despite sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, Turkey stated it will keep buying gas from the former country<\/p>\n
AFP , Wednesday 26 Dec 2012<\/p>\n
Turkey will keep buying natural gas from neighbouring Iran as Western allies raise pressure over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
“It is out of question for us to take a step backward,” Yildiz was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency. “Furthermore, we have not been asked to take such a step.”<\/p>\n
Iran is Turkey’s second biggest natural gas supplier after Russia, and Yildiz said that Tehran supplies 18-20 percent of the gas that Turkey consumes.<\/p>\n
On November 30, the US Senate unanimously approved new economic sanctions aimed at further crippling Iran’s energy, shipping and port sectors a year after the Congress passed tough restrictions against Tehran.<\/p>\n
The latest US proposal is expected to sail through the US House of Representatives and be signed into law by President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n
Iran’s economy is struggling to cope with tightening sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union over the past two years.<\/p>\n
An EU measure which took effect in July halted European purchases of Iranian crude oil, and has since caused Tehran’s oil exports to Asian customers to decline by between 10-30 percent.<\/p>\n
On December 7 however, the United States extended exemptions from sanctions designed to choke Iran’s oil exports to nine major economic powers, including Turkey, China, Taiwan, India and South Korea.<\/p>\n
Yildiz noted on Wednesday that the Turkish oil refiner TUPRAS has continued to import crude oil from Iran.<\/p>\n
“Unlike some European countries, Turkey is not a country which imports three-five percent of its needs from Iran,” the minister explained in a reference to crude oil shipments.<\/p>\n
“Last year, Turkey met almost half of its needs from Iran. It is an important source of imports therefore.”<\/p>\n
Yildiz added that Turkey had bought more oil from Libya, Saudi Arabia and Russia to make up for declining crude imports from Iran due to US-EU sanctions.<\/p>\n
via Minister says Turkey will keep buying gas from Iran – Region – World – Ahram Online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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