Sanctions against Iran

Iran said on June 9 Europe was in no position to criticize Tehran for its military capabilities and it called on European leaders to normalize trade ties with the Islamic Republic despite U.S. sanctions, or face consequences.

Additional sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States show that Washington's offer of talks is not genuine, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on June 8.

Iran called U.S. sanctions "economic war" on June 3, and said there could be no talks with the United States until sanctions are lifted, a day after Washington suggested it could hold talks without pre-conditions if Iran changed its behaviour.

Turkey's defense minister said it was preparing for potential U.S. sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems, even while he said there was some improvement in talks with the United States over buying F-35 fighter jets.

U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil exports do not serve peace in the region, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AKP said on May 10.

Iran will no longer respect limits it agreed on its enriched uranium and heavy water stocks under a 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, officials said on Wednesday,  FocusNews reported.

U.S. sanctions on Iran, rising unrest in the Middle East and North Africa and oil price volatility are dragging regional economic growth, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on April 29.

Turkey's foreign minister on April 22 warned that Washington's move to end sanctions waivers on Iranian oil sales would do harm to regional peace.       

The United States on Monday said it will eliminate in May all waivers granted to eight economies allowing them to buy Iranian oil without facing US sanctions, as it ratcheted up pressure to choke off all oil revenues of the Islamic Republic.

The United States announced on April 22 it will no longer grant sanctions exemptions to eight countries, including Turkey.