US to End Waiver Allowing Iranian Oil Sales as Sanctions Tighten

Washington is escalating pressure on Tehran by ending a key oil waiver and combining financial sanctions with a blockade targeting export lifelines

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addresses journalists in Paris on March 16, 2026. Ludovic Marin / AFP via Getty Images

The United States will not renew a 30-day sanctions waiver that has allowed Iranian oil stranded at sea to be sold on global markets, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said.

The U.S. Treasury said in an April 14 post on X that it is moving aggressively to maintain “maximum pressure” on Iran under what it described as its “Economic Fury” campaign.