US says helps Turkey to reduce dependence on Iran oil

US State Department spokesperson has said the United States is working with Turkey to reduce its dependence on Iranian oil and find alternative sources of supply in a bid to further squeeze the Islamic republic over its suspected nuclear program. Reduction of oil imports from Iran may also help Turkey bypass US sanctions. The US exempted Japan and 10 EU nations from financial sanctions because they have significantly cut purchases of Iranian crude oil, but left Iran's top customers China and India and its allies such as Turkey and South Korea exposed to the possibility of such steps. The decision announced on Tuesday is a victory for the 11 countries, whose banks have been given a six-month reprieve from the threat of being cut off from the US financial system under new sanctions designed to pressure Iran over its nuclear program. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said on Wednesday that Turkey could still get a waiver over sanctions which the United States plans to implement on countries buying oil from Iran despite not being named on a list of exempted nations released by Washington. "Turkey's absence from the United States waiver list regarding the Iran issue doesn't mean it will not be included,"Yildiz told reporters at an energy conference in Ankara. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to raise the issue with US President Barack Obama during a nuclear security summit in South Korea later this month, Turkish officials told Reuters. Diplomatic sources in Ankara told Today's Zaman that the Turkish government officials have been continuing their efforts to have Turkey included in the waiver list of Washington. Turkey imports around 200,000 barrels per day of oil from Iran, representing over 7 percent of Iran's oil exports. Yildiz said Turkey would continue to buy oil from Iran until existing contracts expire. Spokesperson Victoria Nuland told a press briefing that Turkey is one of the countries that the US is working with to support Turkey's efforts to reduce its dependence on Iranian crude, to find alternative sources of supply. "We will continue those discussions," Nuland added. She stressed that this is about the overall effort to try to reduce Turkey's dependence on Iranian crude. Yildiz said Turkey could not halt purchasing from Iran unless other suppliers were lined up.