ANKARA: Turkey is trying to convince the United States to allow refiner Tupras, its biggest oil importer, to continue buying crude oil from Iran free of sanctions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Friday.
Washington on Monday said it will not renew exemptions granted last year to buyers of Iranian oil, including Turkey, and it demanded that buyers stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions.
The decision was more stringent than expected, and caught several key importers who have been pleading with Washington to continue buying Iranian oil sanctions-free.
Turkey says trying to convince US to allow Iranian oil imports
Turkey says trying to convince US to allow Iranian oil imports
- US demanded that Iranian oil buyers stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions
- The decision was more stringent than expected, and caught several key importers to plead with the US
Saudi industrial output rises 8.9% in December: GASTAT
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s industrial production rose 8.9 percent in December from a year earlier, driven by stronger mining and manufacturing activity, signaling continued momentum in the Kingdom’s non-oil and energy sectors.
The Industrial Production Index reached 113.6 in December, up from 104.3 a year earlier, the General Authority for Statistics said.
The latest IPI figures underscore continued momentum in the Kingdom’s industrial sector as Saudi Arabia pursues economic diversification under its Vision 2030 agenda.
In its latest report, GASTAT stated: “Preliminary results indicate an increase of 8.9 percent in the IPOI in December 2025 compared to the same month of the previous year, supported by the rise in mining and quarrying activity, manufacturing activity and water supply, sewerage and waste management and remediation activities.”
Mining and quarrying activity — the largest component of the index — increased 13.2 percent year on year after Saudi Arabia raised oil production to 10.1 million barrels per day from 8.9 million bpd a year earlier. Manufacturing expanded 3.2 percent, supported by a 13.4 percent rise in chemicals output and a 7.3 percent increase in food production.
The sub-index of electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply activity recorded an annual decrease of 2.5 percent.
The sub-index of water supply, sewerage and waste management and remediation activities increased 9.4 percent.
Compared to November, Saudi Arabia’s IPI recorded a marginal decline of 0.1 percent.
On a monthly basis, the sub-index of mining and quarrying activity increased 0.3 percent.
Manufacturing activities also rose 0.3 percent in December compared to the previous month, driven by a 2.8 percent increase in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.
Compared to November, the manufacture of food products increased 9.6 percent in December.
Overall, the index of oil activities advanced 10.1 percent year on year in December, while non-oil activities increased 5.8 percent.
Compared to November, oil activities decreased 0.3 percent, while non-oil activities increased 0.4 percent.
The IPI measures changes in industrial output based on the International Standard Industrial Classification framework and covers mining, manufacturing, utilities and waste management sectors.










