US sanctions against Iran negatively affect the entire region, including Turkey, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Axar.az reports citing the Turkish media.

Cavusoglu noted that sanctions against Iran have a negative impact on Turkish companies.

Regarding the expiration of the exemptions from the oil sanctions against Iran, the Turkish foreign minister noted that Turkey cannot abandon Iranian oil.

“The refineries in Turkey aren’t adapted for Iraqi oil,” said Cavusoglu.

The US sanctions against Iran on May 2 should finally reach full power - six months after their introduction. Washington decided not to renew the temporary import permits for Iranian oil after May 2.

The US restrictions are related to the unilateral withdrawal of the US in May 2018 from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program - a deal concluded in 2015 that limited Tehran’s nuclear development in exchange for the lifting of sanctions of the UN Security Council, as well as the US and the EU.

The remaining parties to the agreement didn’t support the decision of Washington and remained committed to the previous agreements.