ANKARA (Sputnik) — On Monday, Atilla was detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The banker is accused of a secret deal aimed at sending money to Iran in violation of sanctions against Tehran. On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), believed to be the organizer of the thwarted July coup in Turkey, could be behind the detention.
"Halkbank is acting in line with international rules and all the accusations against it are groundless, in practice it is a legal scandal. Turkey will take all necessary legal and diplomatic steps [in the context of Atilla's detention]," Ertem said, as quoted by the NTV broadcaster.
For years Iran has been affect by the burden of international sanctions introduced by the United States, the European Union, as well as by the United Nations against the backdrop of its nuclear and missile activities. Washington's anti-Tehran sanctions regime also includes the restrictions imposed after the revolution of 1979. On July 14, 2015, Iran and the group of six international mediators signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program in return for the gradual sanctions relief.
