U.S. sanctions against Iran

U.S. prosecutors have charged a former Turkish economy minister and a former general manager of a Turkish state bank with conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran, a U.S. attorney's office has said in a filing.

The Iranian-born Turkish businessman Reza Zarrab has denied charges against him in the case over attempting to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran, while Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a deputy general manager of Halkbank, said he has no connection to the case. 

Iran has imposed no restrictions on U.S. oil firms willing to participate in energy projects in the country but American sanctions make such cooperation impossible, Iran's deputy oil minister said on Feb. 6.

U.S. lawmakers passed bills on Nov. 15 renewing sanctions on Iran for 10 years and imposing new sanctions on Syria, underscoring their determination to play a strong role in Middle East policy no matter who occupies the White House. 

Italy will follow up on billions of euros of trade deals signed with Iran this year by sending a special mission to discuss how to fund and process them, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on April 13 in Tehran.

Speaking to industrialists on the second and last day of his visit, Renzi said some 50 agreements between Italian and Iranian companies "cannot remain on paper."

Companies based in Turkey, as well as others in Iran and elsewhere, have been used in Money laundering operations by Reza Zerrab and other suspects, according to an indictment prepared by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

A senior Iranian official has cited Turkey as a "priority" in boosting trade relations in the aftermath of the removal of sanctions, proposing to establish a new economic plan for the development of overall economic ties. 

Just next to Turkey, we have recently seen a huge development of historic proportions, with Iran becoming an open economy again. The landmark deal recently agreed between Iran and major world powers will change some of the dynamics of doing business globally.

Iran on Jan. 18 said new U.S. curbs on the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile programme were illegitimate, vowing to continue developing its conventional military deterrent.

Iranian Industry, Trade and Mining Minister Mohammad Reza Ne'matzadeh has said all global companies, including U.S.-based ones, can make oil and gas exploration investments in Iran, which has already identified 300 investment projects that will be announced next week.