The United States reinstated its economic sanctions on Iranian oil on Tuesday due to Tehran’s “completely unacceptable” actions in Hormuz, according to a US official, when several ships were attacked in the strait.
“Iran’s actions in the Strait are completely unacceptable in the eyes of the United States and will not go unpunished,” a US government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The US Treasury Department, which administers sanctions, published a document on the same day banning “new transactions” with Iranian hydrocarbons.
In a surprise turn, Washington suspended the Iranian oil embargo until August 21 at the end of June as part of a memorandum of understanding with Tehran aimed at ending fighting in the Middle East.
The war was triggered in February by the Israeli-American bombing of Iran. In response, the Islamic Republic attacked Israeli and American interests in the Gulf countries and also blocked shipping in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which led to a sharp rise in oil prices.
The memorandum of understanding included the resumption of maritime traffic in the strait, where several ships had recently been attacked.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia blamed Tehran for two of them.
The document, published on Tuesday by US authorities, allows transactions concluded after June 21 to be completed. The deadline is July 17.