U.S. Denies Lifting Sanctions on Iranian Oil
A U.S. official has stated that, contrary to recent reports, the White House has not lifted sanctions on Iranian oil. This statement follows claims from Iranian sources suggesting that an agreement had been reached.
On Monday, CNBC News highlighted that Iranian-affiliated media was reporting talks of sanction relief. The Tasnim news agency, linked to the Iranian government, also claimed similar updates were sourced from those involved in the negotiations.
“This is false,” a U.S. official asserted.
The Iranian government has been persistent in urging the United States to lift the oil sanctions enforced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), especially in light of ongoing negotiations related to wartime discussions. It’s interesting, or perhaps expected, that this situation keeps evolving.
I think Iran had submitted modified negotiation terms to the White House on the same day, after earlier proposals didn’t pan out. President Donald Trump has reportedly dismissed the revised offer as “garbage.”
Trump had canceled the previous plan and mentioned that “serious negotiations are currently underway” concerning a potential action against Iran, as requested by allies in the Persian Gulf.
“Serious negotiations are currently underway and, in the opinion of our great leaders and allies, we will have an agreement that is very acceptable not only to the United States, but to all countries in the Middle East and beyond… We are not going as planned…” the White House tweeted.
In February 2025, President Trump enacted strict sanctions against Iran to prevent them from obtaining nuclear weapons, launching a “strong and sustained campaign” to reduce Iranian oil exports to zero. Since then, numerous additional sanctions have been imposed targeting Iranian oil operations.
Additionally, an operation named “Economic Fury” was escalated to counter efforts to ship Iranian oil to China, putting further pressure on Iranian networks. The U.S. blockade reportedly disrupts billions of dollars in expected revenues that are crucial for Iran’s economy.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also added to global oil supply issues, leading to significant economic implications. At the time of this report, the national average gas price in the U.S. stands at $4.533.
