"Turkey in principle feels bound only by UN Security Council sanctions against third countries," diplomatic sources told Today's Zaman on Monday, shortly after the EU governments agreed that they would ban all new contracts to purchase oil from Tehran.
On Monday the EU decided that it would block all imports of Iranian crude, but allowed for members with existing contracts to look for alternative sources until July 1. Turkey by principle remains outside non-UN sanctions against Iran, not convinced by the argument from the West that Iran is hostile against the West, and it is enriching uranium for the production of nuclear warheads in preparation for an attack. Turkey does not have a nuclear weapons program but seeks to build two nuclear power plants on its soil to meet its increasing need for energy, while it stands against nuclear proliferation for all Middle Eastern countries, not only Iran.
Turkey's largest oil refinery in Tupras relies on Iranian crude oil, and has been refreshing agreements with Iran for decades.
Hours after the announcement of the EU's new policy for Tehran, an Iranian lawmaker repeated a threat that Iran would block the Strait of Hormuz, the entry point to the Gulf. "If any disruption happens regarding the sale of Iranian oil, the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be closed," Mohammad Kossari, deputy head of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee, was quoted by Reuters as telling the semi-official Fars news agency.