Turkey is refusing to refuel Iranian-owned aircraft, fueling speculation that Ankara is upping its compliance with U.S. sanctions against Tehran, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
IranAir is in discussions with Ankara after some Turkish airports refused to fuel the company’s plans, its CEO Touraj Zanganeh said.
The move followed a decision by the U.S. Treasury two weeks ago warning that it would impose sanctions against air companies that cooperate with Iranian airlines.
The United States is watching Turkey’s compliance with sanctions on Iran closely after its officials allegedly flouted them in recent years. Turkish bank employees and ministers were implicated in a sanctions evasion scheme that resulted in the imprisonment of ex-Halkbank deputy CEO Mehmet Hakan Atilla by a New York jury in January last year.
Crises in relations between the United States in Turkey over Iran, Syria and Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 air defense missiles have abated. Turkey’s compliance with the U.S. sanctions regime may be aiding the rapprochement.
