Turkey won’t comply with US ban over oil trade with Iran

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s foreign minister says his country does not have to abide by “unilateral” U.S. decisions on Iran, suggesting that Ankara would not cut off trade with its neighbour.

Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration threatened countries with sanction if they don’t cut off Iranian oil imports by early November.

Cavusoglu said: “the fact that we are allies does not mean that we have to abide by all its decisions or all that it says word by word.”

He added that the U.S. should consult with Turkey on matters concerning the region.

Trump announced in May that he would pull the United States out of a 2015 agreement over Iran’s nuclear program and would re-impose sanctions on Tehran.

Iran is a major oil supplier for Turkey.