Ankara and Tehran will continue their economic relations despite the US leaving the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, according to Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci.

"It is an opportunity for Turkey. We will continue to have trade with Iran while complying with the UN resolutions on nuclear activities,” Zeybekci said, as quoted by Anadolu news agency. Turkey has "more extensive" economic ties with Iran, including energy imports from the country, he said.

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The Turkish minister stressed that Iran is a "friendly and a brother" country for Ankara. "We believe in this: The stronger Iran gets in this region, the stronger Turkey becomes as well, and the stronger Turkey becomes, the stronger Iran gets as well," he said.

The decision of the US President Donald Trump to exit the nuclear deal will lead to the re-imposition of American sanctions that had been suspended in 2015, including financial restrictions which made it extremely difficult for global companies to do business with or in Iran.

Many European countries have said they are going to defend their companies, which re-entered the Iranian market in the last three years. Washington has said it will give European companies six months to wind up investments in Iran or risk US sanctions, and they are also forbidden from signing any new contracts with Tehran.

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