Turkey 's energy imports bill will be around $55 billion-$60 billion this year, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Friday.

In an interview with local TV channel CNBCe, Mr. Yildiz said Turkey imports oil from 11 countries and buys natural gas from five countries and it needs to increase its domestic and renewable energy resources.

Mr. Yildiz said Turkey imported around $6 billion worth of oil from Iran in 2012. He added that the Iranian imports meet 40% of Turkish oil needs and that Turkey can't cut to zero its energy purchases from Iran despite the growing prospect of tougher U.S. and European Union sanctions on the trade with Tehran .

The U.S. Senate in December approved a measure that would tighten sanctions against Iran , targeting suppliers of materials that could be used to build ships and taking further aim at the country's port and energy businesses.

In December, the U.S. reissued waivers that exempt nine countries, including China , India and Turkey , from fully complying with U.S. sanctions targeting Iran 's oil exports, as the U.S. attempts to maintain international pressure on Tehran 's finances.
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