Turkey's frustration at US policies and a desire to safeguard its economic and security interests have influenced its decision to maintain trade ties with Iran despite Washington's mounting pressure, according to analysts.
Mir-Qasem Bani-Hashemi, a member of the Research Institute of Strategic Studies, maintains that the leadership in Turkey is aware of the fact that any adverse effect on the Iranian economy as a result of the sanctions will negatively impact its own economy because of the volume of bilateral trade.
It would not be easy for Turkey to find a replacement for Iranian crude and restrictions on Iran's oil exports could well jeopardize the neighboring country's "energy security", he told the economic daily newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad in remarks published on Monday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that his country will not cut trade ties with Tehran at the behest of other countries after the United States told countries to cut imports of Iranian oil by November.