Turkey’s imports of Iranian crude oil have stayed unchanged at around 100,000 barrels per day from September to December, 2012.

Tupras, Turkey's sole oil refiner, has reportedly received two Iranian crude cargoes of 145,000 tons and one of 140,000 tons at the Tutunciftlik import terminal in December.

Two oil cargoes were discharged at Tutunciftlik and one at Aliaga during November 2012, while three cargoes were delivered to Tutunciftlik in October.


The United States granted 180-day waivers on Iran oil sanctions to Turkey on December 7, 2012. A number of other countries, namely South Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, were also granted waivers, known as "exceptions."

President Barack Obama's administration has renewed waivers for all 20 of Iran's major oil buyers, after granting them to Japan and 10 European Union countries in September.

The December action was the second renewal for all 20 after Obama signed the sanctions into law a year ago.

The illegal US-engineered sanctions were imposed based on the unfounded accusation that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's civilian nuclear program has been diverted toward military objectives.
press tv/281

News ID 183863