The US Treasury Department has announced that it will not renew a temporary waiver allowing the purchase of certain Iranian crude oil, signaling a continuation of its pressure campaign on Tehran.
The waiver, which was set to expire on Sunday, applied only to Iranian oil and petrochemical products that had already been loaded onto tankers.
The decision comes as the United States enforces a blockade on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz following peace talks last weekend that failed to produce a breakthrough.
The administration has faced criticism for easing sanctions on oil from Iran and Russia during conflicts in both the Middle East and Ukraine.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has suggested additional measures could follow, including other sources of economic pressure.
