The United States should exempt Turkey from new sanctions it is contemplating against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, the Turkish energy minister was quoted as saying by the local media yesterday.
"Iran is Turkey's second biggest natural gas supplier (after Russia)," Taner Yildiz was quoted as saying by the Milliyet newspaper. "I think that US sanctions especially those covering natural gas will not bind Turkey," he added.
The US Senate unanimously approved new economic sanctions on November 30 aimed at further crippling Iran's energy, shipping and port sectors, a year after the US Congress passed tough restrictions against Tehran. The US amendment is expected to sail through the US House of Representatives before being signed into law by President Barack Obama.
