TEHRAN- Turkey has resumed imports of Iranian crude oil under the U.S. sanctions waiver, according to the trading and shipping sources.

The country restarted oil imports from Iran after a one-month stop in November when U.S. sanctions on Iran were reimposed, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Turkey used to import about 200,000 barres per day (bpd) of Iranian crude before the U.S. withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal in last year and re-imposition of sanctions.

Turkey had reduced its imports from Iran in the months prior to sanctions coming into force in early November. Its imports fell to zero in November.

But in December Turkey took delivery of two tankers carrying Iranian crude, equivalent to about 54,000 bpd during December, according to a shipping and trading source familiar with the matter.

The Solan tanker delivered into the port of Aliaga, while the Sea Topaz I discharged at Tutunciftlik.

So far in January, Turkey is set to receive a cargo from the Iranian-owned tanker Sinopa, the sources and Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking showed.

Turkish officials and Tupras were not immediately available to comment.

In an interview with NTV in Ankara, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan had said that Turkey expected the U.S. to extend its sanctions waiver on importing Iranian oil.

MA/MA