Turkey to reduce Iranian oil import

Turkey intends to reduce the purchase of Iranian oil, replacing it by Saudi and Libyan oil, although the US freed the country from sanctions for cooperation with Iran, the Zaman newspaper quotes Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz as saying on Wednesday. "We have agreed with Libya to purchase one million tons of oil. Also negotiations are underway with Saudi Arabia on spot purchases of oil. If the negotiations with Riyadh are successful, we will increase the volume of oil purchases from this country," he said. With regard to the removal of US sanctions against Turkey due to reducing the level of cooperation with Iran, Yildiz said the US decision has no legal basis for Turkey and that his country pursues an independent energy policy. The day previously the US removed India, Malaysia, South Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan from its list of sanctions in connection with reducing the volume of purchase of Iranian oil by these countries. The US and other Western countries suspect Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the guise of peaceful nuclear energy programme. Tehran denies the charges, saying its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes.