*TEHRAN – Iran´s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif waded into themounting row between Turkey and the United States on Saturday, accusingWashington of an “addiction to sanctions and bullying”.*

US President Donald Trump´s “jubilation in inflicting economic hardship onits NATO ally Turkey is shameful,” Zarif wrote on Twitter.

“The US has to rehabilitate its addiction to sanctions (and) bullying orentire world will unite — beyond verbal condemnations — to force it to,”he warned.

“We´ve stood with neighbours before, and will again now.”

Trump said Friday he was doubling steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey aspart of an ongoing row over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunsonand other issues.

The tensions have fuelled a run on the Turkish lira, which dropped 16percent to a record low on Friday, with Trump tweeting that the currencywas sliding “rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar!”

Iran has also suffered a major decline in its currency this year, in partdue to the reimposition of US sanctions after Trump abandoned a landmark2015 nuclear deal, with the rial losing around half its value against thedollar since April. – APP/AFP