Washington trying to ruin Tehran-Ankara ties

Washington opposes expansion of the relations between Tehran and Ankara, but Turkey is willing to deepen its mutual cooperation with Iran, a senior Turkish politician said. "The US has long been exerting pressure on Turkey about the deals the Turkish government has signed with Iran," Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Labor Party Bulent Aslanoglu said on Thursday. He noted that the American officials have told their Turkish counterparts not to import gas from Iran. Earlier this week, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said Turkey will continue importing natural gas from Iran despite the US-led western sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Yildiz made the remarks at a press conference after a meeting with a delegation from the US House of Representatives and the Senate in Ankara on Monday. The Turkish energy minister noted that there is no alternative for the Iranian gas. The United States in November expanded sanctions on global trade with Iran's energy and shipping sectors to ratchet up economic pressure on Tehran over its civilian nuclear program. The package kept in place exemptions for countries including Turkey that made significant cuts to their purchases of Iranian crude, but new sanctions are due to take effect this year. Yildiz said Tupras, which is controlled by Turkey's biggest company Koc Holding, will continue to buy the same amount it has been under the exemption. The United States and many of its allies accuse Iran of enriching uranium to levels used in nuclear weapons. Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes. Turkey imports more than 90 percent of its oil and gas. Iran and Turkey are determined to boost their trade exchanges to $35 billion in the near future. Iran and Turkey have increased their cooperation in various fields of economy, security, trade, education, energy and culture in the recent years. The two sides have exchanged several politico-economic delegations during the last few months.