Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will continue to purchase Iran’s natural gas, despite US sanctions on Tehran.

In an interview with Reuters published on Wednesday, Erdogan said the Turkish lira’s slide is not linked to a diplomatic row with Washington, noting that the country’s economic hardship has been exaggerated.

The Turkish leader also stressed that a Turkish court, not politicians, will decide the fate of an American pastor whose detention on terrorism charges has roiled relations between Ankara and Washington.

On Syria, Erdogan said it was “impossible” for peace efforts to continue in the war-torn country with President Bashar al-Assad in power, adding that the withdrawal of “radical groups” had already started from a new demilitarized zone in Syria’s Idlib region.

Furthermore, Erdogan also said the decision of Turkey’s central bank to raise its benchmark rate was a clear sign of its independence, adding that as president he was against increasing the rates.

Source: Agencies