The U.S. has revoked a license to trade in Iranian oil — Reuters
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has revoked the general license that permitted certain transactions involving Iranian oil. This decision was made in Washington following Iran’s latest attacks on commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The license in question was issued by the U.S. on June 22 for a period of 60 days, expiring on August 21. It authorized the production, delivery, sale, and import of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and petrochemical products. The waiver also covered related banking, insurance, and transportation services.
The authorization to export Iranian oil was one of the provisions of the U.S.-Iran memorandum on conflict resolution signed in June.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new license stipulating that previously concluded agreements must be finalized by July 17. The conclusion of new contracts is prohibited as of July 7.
The decision was made following attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Among the damaged vessels were the Qatari gas carrier Al Rekayyat and a Saudi oil tanker. The U.S. accused Iran of carrying out the attacks, but Tehran denied any involvement.
Following the announcement of the license revocation, global oil prices rose by more than 5%.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important routes for global energy trade: about one-fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption passes through it, as well as significant volumes of liquefied natural gas. Despite the escalation, a U.S. official told Reuters that negotiators are continuing to work diligently on an agreement with Iran that would limit its nuclear program and lead to a partial lifting of sanctions.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States does not need Ukraine’s help in defending against Iranian drone attacks. He emphasized that American drones are “the best in the world” and their capabilities surpass those of any others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that the United States allegedly does not need Ukraine’s help in combating Iranian “Shahed” drones. The head of state called these remarks “rhetoric” and stressed that what matters most are concrete actions and cooperation between countries.
