Sanctions sabotage Iran declaration

Turkey has warned the US and its European allies that talk of new sanctions can jeopardize Iran’s nuclear declaration and lead to mistrust.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Tuesday that the declaration, which names Turkey as the site of a UN nuclear fuel swap proposal, was a breakthrough.

“With the agreement yesterday, an important psychological threshold has been crossed towards establishing mutual trust,” Davutoglu was quoted as saying by AFP.

“Sanctions, the discussions on sanctions will spoil the atmosphere and the escalation of statements may provoke the Iranian public opinion,” he added.

Davutoglu went on to argue that the declaration leaves no room for doubt and urged for more cooperation.

“There is no uncertainty. There is a political will clearly expressed by Iran, signed by Turkey and Brazil…and the whole thing is linked to a calendar,” he added.

The remarks come one day after the nuclear fuel declaration in Tehran, which was met with Western skepticism.

The United States said it would press on with efforts to slap a fourth round of sanctions on Tehran targeting Iranian banks and shipping industry.

“Now it is time to sit and work to create the conditions for true peace on the basis created, not to make speculations or to voice… suspicions,” Davutoglu stressed.

Non-permanent UN Security Council members Brazil and Turkey have been firm advocates of diplomacy in solving the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program amid a US-led campaign to impose tougher UN sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The nuclear declaration was issued following trilateral talks between Tehran and Brasilia and Ankara whereby Iran agreed to ship its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for fuel for its research reactor.

Iran rejects Western allegations that its nuclear program is a military one, arguing that as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) it has the right to a civilian nuclear program.