Russia and Turkey promise to challenge Donald Trump's sanctions against Iran

Turkey and Russia have both criticized President Trump's latest sanctions against Iran, promising to find a way to defy punitive financial measures.

"We will not obey such sanctions," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, adding that his government considered Washington's move "as a violation of the global balance," the report said. 39, Russian news agency Tass. The Turkish leader stressed that the sanctions "were in contradiction with the norms of the international law" and he did not wish "not to live in an imperialist world".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow will find ways to get around the sanctions and maintain financial ties with Tehran. The Russian diplomat also called the Washington sanctions "unacceptable methods". Moscow Times reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pose at a trilateral meeting on Syria in Sochi on November 22, 2017.
MIKHAIL METZEL / AFP / Getty Images

"Mechanisms are being developed as part of the joint global joint action plan working group [for the Iranian nuclear program], which will continue to apply the provisions of this document, mainly with regard to economic ties with Iran and without the participation of the United States ", explained Lavrov, according to Tass.

"The experts are vigorously addressing this issue and have a fairly stable understanding that this is possible and that such measures will be found," he said.

In May, Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Global Action Plan (JCPOA), better known as the Iranian nuclear deal, despite strong criticism from European signatories, as well as the Russia and China. Washington then decided in August to implement the first set of punitive financial measures against Iran.

Although Trump warned allies and enemies not to support Tehran, European leaders, as well as China and Russia, have worked to ensure that this agreement remains in place without the United States.

Focusing on energy and banking, the second round of US sanctions against Iran has targeted more than 700 entities. The majority of these companies and subsidiaries were initially hit by the sanctions of former President Barack Obama, before the signing of the international treaty in 2015.

However, with the official announcement of the latest punitive financial measures, the Trump government also revealed that eight nations would get a temporary pass following the adoption of new oil sanctions. China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey will all benefit from a six-month exemption, said the Secretary of State. US state Mike Pompeo. Although Turkey is included, the latest remarks by its president suggest that the country is considering not following sanctions even after the end of temporary stay.

On the eve of sanctions resumed by Washington, an Iranian protester burns a dollar bill during a demonstration outside the former US embassy in Tehran, the Iranian capital, on November 4, On the occasion of the assault of student protesters that had triggered a hostage taking in 1979 ATTA KENARE / AFP / Getty Images

At the same time, Iran's leaders publicly mocked Washington's efforts, saying the United States, not Iran, had become isolated.

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted that "the US's intimidation is a step back." Reasoning on the fact that the nuclear deal is "important," the minister said that "the world can not allow Trump & Co. to destroy the world order". He also added: "The United States and not Iran are isolated."

The President of the Islamic Republic, Hassan Rouhani, also criticized Monday the United States.

"We are in a war situation," he said. "We are facing an intimidating enemy. We have to stand up to win.