ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A senior Turkish official told reporters on Wednesday that Ankara stopped buying Iran's oil in early May out of "respect" for the United States.
“We don’t believe in sanctions, but as a strategic ally we respect the U.S. decision ... We don’t believe isolation of Iran will be helpful,” Reuters quoted the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying.
Ankara has abided by the sanctions since its waiver ended this month, according to official. The remarks were made during Turkish Deputy of Foreign Affairs Yavuz Selim Kiran’s visit to Washington, D.C.
“We are not getting any oil from Iran now,” the unnamed source added.
In 2017, Iran accounted for only about 4.9 percent of Turkey's oil imports. Saudi Arabia was first at 14 percent, followed by Iraq at 7.3 percent, and the Emirates at 5 percent, according to statistics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
US-Iran relations have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump announced his countries withdrawal from the nuclear deal — formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — and the continued imposition of sanctions against Tehran.
The United States ended waivers for eight countries in April, including Turkey, waivers which allowed oil transactions with Iran to continue.
A senior Turkish official also told Reuters on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan may meet soon in Turkey or during the G20 meeting in Japan from June 28-29, adding that Erdogan has invited Trump to Ankara.
"We are working on the calendar now," said the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "They may meet on the margins of G20 in Japan as well. For a bilateral visit, we are waiting for an exact date.”
A US Congressional bill introduced on May 10, “Expressing Concern for the US-Turkey alliance,” was heard before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
The resolution supports the sale of Patriot air and defence systems to Turkey, and would terminate Turkey’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, if they did go forward with the S-400 deal with Russia.
Moreover, if Ankara does go through with the purchase, the bill calls for “full implementation of sanctions” under the ‘Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017.’ The bill would still need to be passed before committee, both chambers, and signed by President Trump before it would take effect.
Turkey responded on Wednesday following the bill’s hearing in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“We observe that the anti-Turkey circles in the United States have recently intensified their activities in the US Congress,” said Hami Aksoy, the spokesperson for Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Aksoy went on to describe Turkey and US relations as “deep rooted” and based on “common values and mutual interests.” “They work together to contribute to the peace and security in various regions of the world,” said Aksoy.
Resolutions such as the one brought before the committee hearing on Wednesday, “are inconsistent with the allied relationship between our countries,” he added.
Turkey has suggested establishing a joint working group to lessen US concerns over its purchase of S-400 system, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Speaking at a press conference with Polish and Romanian counterparts in Ankara on Wednesday, Cavusoglu claimed they have received an affirmative response from NATO but were still awaiting a response from the United States.
US-Turkish relations have come under recent strain. Ankara is frustrated with US military support for Kurdish forces in northern Syria fighting against the Islamic State (ISIS) and the US refusal to extradite Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of orchestrating the attempted 2016 coup.
The US meanwhile, has been weary of Turkish attempts to purchase the S-400 missile system from Russia, which it deems incompatible with the NATO system. Additionally, the arrests of Turkish nationals employed at US embassies and consulates have been points of contention among the strategic NATO allies.
