ISTANBUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Turkey's gold exports rose nearly 800 percent last year on the back of soaring sales to Iran and the trade will continue, despite tightening U.S. sanctions on Tehran, Turkey'seconomyminister said on Friday. Turkish gold exports rose to $12.7 billion in the first eleven months of 2012 compared to the $1.47 billion exported ...

The U.S. is trying to stop the gold rush to Iran in a bid to undermine the Islamic Republic's plummeting currency, but critics say the move is more likely to hurt ordinary citizens than the rogue regime's leadership. A top Treasury Department official told lawmakers that, starting July 1, the U.S. plans to crack down on all transfers of gold to the ...

An obscureloophole allows Tehran to profit while skirting Western sanctions. Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has arrived in Washington, D.C. for a much-anticipated summit with President Barack Obama. The timing of the visit -- amid reports of chemical weapons usage in Syria and an attack against a Turkish border town by alleged Syrian ...

AFP -The US is aiming to block gold sales to Iranians to boost pressure on the rial currency, as it steps up sanctions over the country's alleged nuclear weapons program, officials said Wednesday. Top officials of the US Treasury and State Department said in Congressional testimony that sanctions were having a deep impact on Tehran, interrupting oil ...

Turkeys gold exportsIranhas rose more than twofold through March during a time its overall gold trade receded, suggesting the two countries trade of gold for natural gas has been continuing increasingly after a one-month halt in January. Turkey exported almost $381 million worth of gold toIranin March, Turkish Statistics Institute (T?K) data showed,...

Iran news headlines on Saturday include resumption ofEgypt-Iran direct flights after decades;Kuwaiti Foreign Ministerdescribing Iran as a major and influential player inMideast; Iraq tightening control ofIran flights to Syria;continuation ofIndia's Iran oil imports and rise of Turkish gold export to Iran.   First Egypt flight in 34 years takes ...

ISTANBUL, March 29 (Reuters) -Turkeyexported almost $120 million worth of gold toIranin February, data showed, suggesting the two countries' trade of gold fornatural gashas resumed despite tighter U.S. sanctions, though at levels below last year's peaks. U.S. officials have sought to prevent Turkish gold exports from providing a financial lifeline ...

It must rank as one of the most thankless jobs in diplomacy. Just how do you draw up incentives for Iran to rein in its nuclear programme? Talks have lumbered on, in one incarnation or another, for a decade now. Efforts to win over Tehran have been encumbered by mutual suspicion, political sensitivities (there is always the charge of appeasement) ...

Iran news headlines on Monday include Iran criticizing world powers over possible gold sanctions; Iran releasingindigenously-built warship, Jamaran 2 in the coming months; Netanyahu remarks over sanctions not preventing Iran to reach atomic program and China approval ofjoining Iran high-speed railway project. Iran scolds world powers over gold sanctions ...

Iran news headlines on Saturday include Iranian leader remarks over country not seekingnuclear arms; world powers offer to ease gold sanctions if Iran close Fordowuranium enrichment plant;Iranian ambassador to the UNcriticizingBan Ki-moon for remarks on Iran's nuclear program; Syria rebels report on gen. Shateri killing in Israel airstrike on Syria ...

(Reuters) - Major powers plan to offer to ease sanctions barring trade in gold and other precious metals withIranin return for Iranian steps to shut down the nation's newly expanded Fordow uranium enrichment plant, Western officials said on Friday. The officials said the offer is to be presented to Iran at February 26 talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, ...

(Reuters) - Tighter U.S. sanctions are killing off Turkey's gold-for-gas trade withIranand have stopped state-owned lender Halkbank from processing other nations' energy payments to the OPEC oil producer, bankers said on Friday. U.S. officials have sought to prevent Turkish gold exports, which indirectly pay Iran for its natural gas, from providing ...

Turkey will not be swayed by U.S. sanctions pressure to halt gold exports to Iran but Tehran's demand for the metal may fall this year, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Thursday. Trade in Turkish gold bars to Iran via Dubai is drying up as banks and dealers increasingly refuse to buy the bullion to avoid sanctions risks associated with ...

Iran news headlines on Wednesday includeIran's Majlis speaker remarks over US seeking to sabotage Iran-P5+1 nuke talks;ban of Turkish goldon fears of link to Iran by Dubai; the Federal Cabinet approval of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline; Iran launching Zafar satelliteinto space within the next eight months; asenior Iranian official speech on backing terrorist ...

Trade in Turkish gold bars to Iran via Dubai is drying up as a growing number of banks and dealers refuse to buy the bullion to avoid the risks associated with Turkey's gold-for-gas trade with Iran. US officials say they are concerned the trade between the two countries provides a financial lifeline to the Iran, which is largely frozen out of ...

ISTANBUL, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Banks are continuing to exchange gold inTurkey, despite U.S. pressure over the country's booming gold-for-gas trade with Tehran, which helps Iran cope with international sanctions, bankers said on Tuesday. Gold exports from Turkey to Iran jumped to $6.5 billion in the first 11 months of 2012 from just $54 million for all ...

Irannews headlines on Saturday include Iran opening first gas storage facility in Qom; TurkishEconomy Minister criticizingEU sanctions on Iran;Iran's chief of police remarks overdeveloping 'smart control' software for social-networking sites;an Iranian businessman accusing ofnuclear smuggling deported from the U.S.; rising Turkish gold exports to Iran ...

Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan leveled harsh words at the EU on Friday over Turkey's gold trade with Iran, telling reporters in ?stanbul on Friday that the sanctions do not concern Turkey Today`s Zaman reproted. "The EU has decided on sanctions. I'm selling. Another's sanctions don't concern me," he told reporters. The words come as the EU steps ...

On November 20, the United States added another element to its sanctions against Iran. It now includes a ban on selling precious metals to the country. That bodes ill for Turkey, which was paying for its gas purchases with gold. Does this now mean that the problem is solved? I do not think so. It cannot end without securing energy for Turkey. Grapes ...

Strained under sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran is continuing efforts to skirt them and continue trade with Turkey. As the US has now introduced measures that prevent Iran from accepting payment from Turkey in gold for the natural gas Turkey buys, Iran is looking to establish a new system that will keep trade going. Because the transfer ...