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Iran bans re-export of Turkish goods to Russia

Re-export of Turkish goods runs counter to the country’s general export policies, Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization Deputy Director said

TEHRAN, January 23. /TASS/. Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPOI) has banned Iranian companies to re-export Turkish goods to Russia via the Iranian territory, TPOI Deputy Director Mohammad Reza Movadvadi said on Saturday.

"According to a decree issued by the Iranian Trade Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, re-export of Turkish products to Russia from Iran's soil is forbidden," the IRNA news agency quoted the official as saying.

Re-export of Turkish goods runs counter to the country’s general export policies, Movadvadi said adding that taking into account political tensions between Russia and Turkey, these steps of Iranian merchants "can have a very negative impact on Tehran-Moscow ties."

Otherwise, Russia may impose restrictions on export of Iranian goods, he went on to say noting that Iranian business people should boost trade with the neighbouring country.

Relations between Russia and Turkey have been locked in a spat over the downing of a Russian Su-24M bomber on November 24 by the Turkish Air Force’s fighter jet. Ankara claims the bomber violated the Turkish air space in the area of the border with Syria. However, Russia’s Defence Ministry has said the Su-24M plane stayed exclusively over the Syrian territory and "there was no violation of the Turkish air space."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Turkey’s attack will have "serious consequences" for the two countries’ relations. Putin said Ankara’s attack against the Russian plane, which took part in Russia’s antiterrorism operation in Syria and did not present a threat to Turkey, was a "stab in Russia’s back" delivered by terrorists’ accomplices.

On November 28, Putin signed a decree on measures to ensure Russia’s national security and to protect its citizens from criminal and other illegal activities and to impose special economic measures against Turkey.

On January 1, 2016, the bulk of sanctions against Turkey came into effect. Russia imposed a ban on imports of fruits, vegetables, poultry, flowers and white salt from that country. In January-September 2015, Turkey’s imports of these goods to Russia constituted $579.7 million, or 18.9% of all Turkish exports to Russia.

Besides, some business activities and services of Turkish companies, employment of new staff from Turkey were either banned or restricted. At the same time, Russia introduced the visa rules.