ISTANBUL, Aug 14: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Turkish counterpart failed on Thursday to sign energy deals opposed by US, which is seeking to pressure Tehran into halting its nuclear programme.

A joint statement from Ahmadinejad and President Abdullah Gul said the two countries would continue discussing further energy cooperation. No further explanation was given.

Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan have come under fire for inviting Ahmadinejad, who has lobbied hard since coming to power to visit Turkey, which has strong ties with the US and Israel.

A source from Erdogan’s office said earlier that Ahmadinejad’s two-day working visit to Istanbul may no longer yield the expected oil and gas deals following new demands from the Iranian side, including pricing and investment conditions.—Reuters