Turkey Makes Case Against Sanctions On Iran

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said he doesn't favor imposing economic sanctions to pressure Iran.

Erdogan said the sanctions are "not a healthy path and...the best route is diplomacy."

The Turkish prime minister discussed the problem with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country has worked closely with the veto-wielding permament members of the UN Security Council in efforts to encourage greater nuclear cooperation from Tehran.

Merkel urged Turkey to be ready to support the imposition of sanctions through the United Nations unless Iran shows transparency to assure the international community that it has no ambitions for nuclear weapons.

Turkey is a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council and Erdogan said it had not yet reached a firm decision on how it would vote on a U.S.-backed sanctions resolution.

compiled from Reuters