Turkey To Continue Buying Natural Gas From Iran: Yildiz

Ankara, Dec 6, IRNA - Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Sources Taner Yildiz stressed here on Wednesday that Ankara would continue buying natural gas from Iran. Speaking to reporters at Turkish Parliament, He added that the way Ankara would pay the price of imported natural gas from Iran is something related to the Ankara government's economic management. “Despite sanctions, Turkish banks will find their own way for transfer of money for imported natural gas from Iran and Turkey’s Energy and Natural Sources Ministry would continue buying this kind of energy from Iran.” Yildiz added that Iran is Turkey’s second largest gas supplier and Ankara has to think about its people, consider its needs for energy, natural gas and crude oil in order to meet its requirements. “Turkish officials have told American officials that a sanction against the import of natural gas from Iran is in fact imposing sanction on Turkey; Ankara does not support unilateral embargos against Tehran; Ankara needs Iran’s natural gas.” In the meantime, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Teyyip Erdogan on Monday said Ankara would not follow unilateral sanctions against Iran and Turkey would continue buying oil and gas from Iran. The US Senate approved tougher sanctions on global trade with Iran’s energy and shipping sectors on Friday in US latest effort to further mount economic pressure on Tehran over the Islamic Republic’s absolutely peaceful nuclear program. The new sanctions, the third round in a year, include measures aimed at stopping the flow of gold from Turkey to Iran in exchange for natural gas supplies. Turkey, which produces most of its electricity from natural gas, buys more than 90 percent of Iran’s gas exports, while Turkmenistan imports the remaining 10 percent, but those portions are subject to drastic change after the completion of the Iran-Pakistan Peace Pipeline. Turkey is also an importer of Iranian oil./end