Washington: US President Donald Trump has warned that any country or person buying Iranian oil or petrochemicals will be immediately subject to secondary sanctions.
The US President’s warning came hours after the next round of US-Iran nuclear talks that were planned for Saturday, May 3, have been postponed citing logistical reasons.
President Trump posted on Truth Social:
“ALERT: All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions.
“They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form. Thank you for your attention to this matter, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”.
President Trump has announced the "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran since taking office, which aims to completely shut down the Islamic Republic's oil exports. The president has accused Iran of using oil revenue to finance militant groups in the Middle East, including the Houthis in Yemen.
The Trump administration began negotiations with Iran last month over its nuclear programme. The US believes Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb, an allegation that Tehran has denied.
The ban on oil purchases from Iran is also set to affect India, which buys Iranian oil.