Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 17
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Ankara does not support sanctions against Iran, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Dec. 17 in Tehran at a joint press conference with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Cavusoglu said Ankara has always supported and will continue supporting Tehran.
He added that Ankara also supports the talks between Tehran and the six international mediators (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany).
"Ankara has repeatedly stated that every country, including Iran, has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," he said.
The US and EU imposed sanctions on Iran's oil exports and the country's banking system, as a result of what Iran faced problems in these sectors.
The UN Security Council imposed sanctions against Iran, demanding the country to prove that it is not preparing to develop nuclear weapons.
The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear technology for electricity generation and medical purposes instead.
Iranian officials earlier held talks with the US delegation headed by the Acting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
Iran and P5+1 (China, France, Russia, Britain, the US plus Germany) sealed an interim deal in Geneva on Nov. 24, 2013 to pave way for a full resolution of the West's decade-old dispute with Iran over the country's nuclear energy program.
The Geneva deal took effect on January 20 and expired on July 20.
However the two sides agreed to extend their talks for four months till Nov. 24 to reach a permanent deal on Iran's disputed nuclear program.
During a meeting held on November 24, 2014, the sides agreed to extend the talks for further seven months.
Edited by SI
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