Turkey: US Sanctions on Iran Must Stop

Speaking at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Ankara on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said the US sanctions against Iran must stop.

“Our ministers have clearly emphasized that the US must halt the sanctions against Iran, and talks have been held with (US President Donald) Trump in this regard,” the top Turkish diplomat noted.

He said the US administration has been informed of Turkey’s concerns over the anti-Iran sanctions and their impacts on the entire region.

Urging serious efforts to end the anti-Iran limitations, Cavusoglu said Turkey rejects punishment for Iranian people through sanctions.

There is no absolute friendship or enmity when it comes to international relations, he added, saying a country’s move to put the military forces of another state in the list of terrorists would create chaos.

On April 15, a notice published in the US Federal Register officially put the IRGC in the list of foreign terrorist organizations, one week after Trump blacklisted the IRGC, marking the first time the US has formally labelled another country's military a terrorist group.

Elsewhere in the conference, Cavusoglu pointed to the economic ties between Tehran and Ankara, saying his country will keep up efforts to reach the target of $30 billion annual trade exchange with Iran.

He also said Turkey will be considering new mechanisms, in addition to the existing approaches, to enhance trade with Iran.

For his part, Zarif announced in the press conference that Iran will never allow the US to undermine its relations with the other countries.

He also praised Turkey for supporting Iran in the face of sanctions and for condemning the US blacklisting of the IRGC.

Heading a ranking diplomatic delegation, Zarif arrived is in Turkey in a tour that took him earlier to Syria.