The United States Department of the Treasury has temporarily authorized operations for the sale of Iranian oil that is currently on tankers at sea. This was announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the social media platform X.
This is reported by Finway
Conditions of the US Short-Term Permit
It is known that the decision applies only to Iranian oil that was already loaded onto tankers by March 20, 2026. According to the general license published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury, the sale, supply, and unloading of these volumes are permitted for one month — until April 19, 2026. New purchases or production of Iranian oil are not included under this permit.
According to Scott Bessent, this temporary easing of sanctions will allow approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian oil to enter the global market, which is expected to alleviate the pressure on global supplies caused by Iran’s actions. He also emphasized the continuation of the maximum pressure policy on Iran regarding access to the international financial system.
“Today, the Treasury Department is issuing a narrowly specialized short-term permit that allows for the sale of Iranian oil currently stuck at sea,” Bessent wrote.
Iran’s Reaction and Further US Plans
Iranian Ministry of Oil spokesperson Samaneh Ghodousi commented on the situation, stating that there are no excess crude oil reserves in Iran that remain at sea, nor additional volumes ready for export. She believes that the US statement aims to influence buyer expectations and psychologically control the situation in the oil market.
Additionally, the Biden administration is considering the possibility of occupying or blockading Khark Island to pressure Iran in order to unblock shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
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