The US issued new sanctions targeting Chinese importers from Iranian oil
The United States on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, including the “teapot refinery” based in China, when President Donald Trump’s administration tried to increase pressure on Tehran.
The US Ministry of Finance said in a statement that the action would increase pressure on Chinese oil importers from Iranian oil when Trump tried to restore the “maximum pressure” campaign in Iran, which included efforts to encourage its oil exports to zero.
The action occurred when the Trump government had re -launched negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program this month, with talks at Oman last weekend and the second half was expected to be in Roma this weekend.
The treasury on Wednesday said that his party imposed sanctions on independent “teapot” refineries accused of playing a role in buying Iranian crude oil worth more than $ 1 billion.
Washington also issued additional sanctions to several companies and ships that were said to be responsible for facilitating Iran’s oil delivery to China as part of Iran’s “shadow” fleet.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York and the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
China does not recognize US sanctions and is the largest Iranian oil importer. China and Iran have built a trading system which mostly uses Yuan China and intermediary networks, avoiding dollars and exposure to US regulators.
“Every refinery, company, or broker who chooses to buy Iranian oil or facilitate Iranian oil trading places with serious risk,” Finance Minister Scott Besent said in his statement.
Guidance for shipping
“The United States is committed to disturbing all actors who provide support to Iranian oil supply chains, which are used by regimes to support proxy and terrorist partners.”
The treasury on Wednesday also updated guidelines for shipping and maritime stakeholders about “detecting and reducing the avoidance of Iranian oil sanctions,”, among others, that Iran depends on a large shadow fleet to disguise oil delivery.
The treasury said it was the sixth round of sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales since Trump recovered the “maximum pressure” campaign in Iran, which included efforts to encourage its oil exports to zero to help prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
In its first term of office 2017-21, Trump attracted the US from the 2015 agreement between Iran and the world power which placed strict restrictions on the enrichment of Uranium Tehran in return for sanctions assistance. Trump also re -impose a sweeping US sanctions.
Since then, Iran has far beyond the limits of agreement on uranium enrichment.
Western power accuses Iran of having a Klandestin agenda to develop nuclear weapons capabilities by enriching uranium to high levels of fisil purity, above what they say can be justified for the civil atomic energy program. Tehran said the nuclear program was entirely for civil power purposes.
“All sanctions will be fully upheld under the maximum pressure campaign of Trump’s administration in Iran,” spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs Tammy Bruce said in a separate statement on Wednesday.
“As long as Iran is trying to generate oil income to fund its unstable activities, the United States will ask for Iran’s accountability and all its partners in responsible sanctions.”
Source: Reuters
