Turkey says U.S. wants to use gold trader case to impose sanctions

Source: Reuters

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey called on Monday for the case against a Turkish gold trader in the United States to be dropped, saying he had been pressured to make accusations against Turkey and that the case was being used to impose sanctions on Ankara.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said the case against the trader, Reza Zarrab, who is accused of evading U.S. sanctions on Iran, was an “indisputable plot against Turkey” and that it had no legal basis.

“They want to impose certain sanctions on Turkey through the Zarrab case, but the trade between Iran and Turkey is in line with our laws and international laws,” Bozdag, who is also the Turkish government spokesman, told broadcaster Kanal 24.

“They may have told Zarrab: ‘Either you will remain in prison until you die, or you will sign under what we tell you,’ and they threatened him with retributions to sign off on accusations.”


Read more: https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-turkey-zarrab-minister/turkey-says-u-s-wants-to-use-gold-trader-case-to-impose-sanctions-idINKBN1DR0Y1

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This case might be connected to Mueller's investigation of Michael Flynn and his work for Turkey.