10 May 2018•Update: 11 May 2018
By Ilkay Guder
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday discussed the U.S. withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over the phone.
According to presidential sources, Erdogan and Putin agreed that the U.S. decision on the nuclear deal is “wrong” and pointed out that the nuclear deal was a diplomatic success that should be protected.
The two leaders also spoke about the recent developments and increasing tension in Syria.
Erdogan also congratulated Putin for officially starting his fourth term as Russian president.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the landmark nuclear deal, which was signed in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany).
Acting ahead of a May 12 deadline, Trump opted not to extend sanctions relief on Iran, re-imposing nuclear-related economic penalties on the Islamic republic.
The 2015 deal had placed unprecedented restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief.
Trump had roundly criticized the agreement in 2016 during his electoral campaign, calling it the "worst deal" he had ever seen.
Other members of the P5+1, for their part, say the agreement in its current form represents the best way to reign in Iran's nuclear program.
Trump’s move has sparked a range of reactions, with some countries welcoming it and others condemning it.
