PANews reported on April 15th, citing Reuters, that two US government officials stated on Tuesday that the Trump administration will allow a 30-day sanctions waiver for Iranian seaborne oil to expire later this week, as the US currently imposes a blockade on shipments from Iranian ports. This waiver, issued by the US Treasury Department on March 20th, allowed approximately 140 million barrels of oil to enter the global market and alleviated energy supply pressures during the war with Iran. US Treasury Secretary Bessant stated last month that the waiver would expire on April 19th. This move comes amid criticism from both parties in US lawmakers who argue that the government is temporarily easing sanctions on Iran and Russia against the backdrop of the US-Israel war against Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. One US official stated that Washington has multiple means to target entities purchasing Iranian oil, including “secondary sanctions.” The source added, “Furthermore, with the reinstatement of UN sanctions against Iran and Iran’s history of attempting to cover up its illegal activities with seemingly legitimate ones, any transaction with Iran could trigger additional sanctions.”

Previously, a U.S. official stated that the Strait of Hormuz was not completely blocked, but only for ships entering and leaving Iranian ports.