A boy holds a banner while he attends a demonstration in Istanbul, Turkey, on Feb. 4, 2012. (Xinhua File photo)

TEHRAN, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that his country has discussed with Turkey the launch of a financial mechanism similar to INSTEX announced recently by the EU, Tasnim news agency reported.

In January, the EU announced the establishment of a payment channel called INSTEX to secure trade with Iran and skirt U.S. anti-Iran sanctions after Washington pulled out of the 2015 landmark Iranian nuclear deal in May 2018.

The Iranian foreign minister said Turkey has always opposed the U.S. sanctions on Iran and is looking for methods to maintain cooperation with the Islamic republic despite the sanctions.

Zarif made the remarks in Turkey's capital Ankara before returning to Tehran from his two-day tour to Syria and Turkey.

The two countries have agreed to pursue closer trade ties, cooperate in the energy industry and banking sector, use local currencies for businesses, plan for preferential tariff in trade, and establish a mechanism akin to INSTEX, Zarif said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has pledged to pursue the plans urgently, he added.

Zarif described his visit to Syria and Turkey as a "successful regional trip," saying the Islamic republic attaches importance to enhanced relations with neighboring countries.