US sanctions Nato ally Turkey

The United States imposed long-anticipated sanctions on Turkey on Monday over Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems, further complicating already strained ties between the two Nato allies. 

Turkey condemned the sanctions as a "grave mistake" and urged Washington to revise its "unjust decision." It said sanctions would inevitably harm mutual relations.

Senior US officials said in a call with reporters that Ankara's purchase of the S-400s and its refusal to reverse its decision, despite repeated pleas from Washington, left the United States with no other choice.

The sanctions target Turkey's top defence procurement and development body Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), its chairman Ismail Demir and three other employees.

The measures, which received a bipartisan welcome from the US Congress, were announced under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) - the first time the act has been used against a fellow member of the Nato alliance.

Ankara acquired the Russian S-400 ground-to-air defenses in mid-2019 and says they pose no threat to Nato allies. But Washington has long threatened sanctions and last year removed Turkey from an F-35 jet program.

Ignoring the advice of aides, President Donald Trump had resisted imposing penalties on Turkey until giving the green light several days ago, sources familiar with the matter said.

It is not immediately clear what impact the sanctions will have on third countries such as European states that supply arms or defence components and work with Turkish defence firms.

But the Trump administration held off on more severe options that were presented for consideration, including sanctions that would hit the financial system or Erdogan personally.

Iran's foreign minister yesterday condemned the imposition of US sanctions on Turkey, saying it showed "contempt for international law".

"We strongly condemn recent US sanctions against Turkey and stand with its people and government," Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, using the hashtag "#NeighborsFirst".

"US addiction to sanctions and contempt for international law at full display again," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the sanctions "another manifestation of an arrogant attitude towards international law" by the US.