US sanctions on Iran 'wrong': Turkish President Erdogan

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said U.S. sanctions on Iran were "not right".

Following a parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan told reporters: "We do not find the sanctions right. Because our opinion is that these sanctions aim at destroying the world's balance," said Erdogan.

Erdogan stressed that the U.S. sanctions on Iran contradict with the international law and diplomacy.

"We don't want to live in an imperialist world," he added.

Washington announced new sanctions on Monday targeting Iran's energy and financial sectors along with its shipping industry.

More than 700 individuals, entities, aircraft, and vessels were blacklisted, including 50 Iranian banks and their domestic and foreign subsidiaries.

The U.S. government granted China, Greece, India, Turkey, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan a 180-day waiver for importing Iranian oil, which eased worries of supply reduction in the global markets after the sanctions went into effect.

Erdogan also criticized the U.S. patrols which began in northeastern Syria on Monday.

"It is impossible that we accept these [patrols]. Furthermore, such a situation would lead to serious negativity along the borders," said Erdogan.

The patrols come after the Turkish military shelled several PKK/YPG positions in the region last week. The YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK terror group.