Ankara :  Turkey will support petrol sales by Turkish companies to Iran, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told Reuters on Wednesday, despite US sanctions that aim to squeeze the Islamic Republic's fuel imports.

The pledge came ahead of an expected resumption of talks next month between world powers and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear programme, which Washington suspects aims to develop atomic weapons.

"If the preference of the private sector is to sell these products to Iran, we will help them. There is no demand for Turkey to halt the trade of these products with Iran," Yildiz said in an interview.

The sale of petrol, as well as other projects Turkey is planning with Iran, may indicate a shift in its energy policy to give priority to its energy-rich neighbours.