Trump threatens Iranian oil sanctions after next round of indirect negotiations are delayed | World News
U.S. President Donald Trump has reissued a threat to Iran, saying that any country or person who buys oil or petrochemicals from Iran will face immediate U.S. sanctions after indirect negotiations between the two countries.
“All purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must be stopped, and now any country or person who purchases any oil or petrochemicals from Iran will be subject to secondary sanctions immediately,” Trump wrote on Truth Society on Thursday.
He added: “They will not allow business with the United States of America in any way, shape or form. Thank you for your concern on this matter.”
Xinhua News Agency reported that Trump has implemented what he called the “maximum pressure” campaign since taking office in January, including strict sanctions on oil exports and threats to military operations.
Trump's comments were posted on Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Thursday that the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks scheduled for Saturday in Rome were postponed on the proposal of Omani mediators.
Baghaei reiterated Iran's determination to use diplomacy to protect the “legitimate and legal” interests of the United States and end sanctions and economic pressures on Iran.
Earlier in the day, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Bin bin hamad al Busaidi announced on social media platform X that the fourth round of negotiations for US Iran was scheduled to be postponed on Saturday due to “logistical reasons,” adding: “The new appointment will be announced when reciprocity agrees.”
“For logistical reasons, we are rescheduling the interim scheduled U.S. Iran meeting on Saturday, May 3,” he wrote.
“When mutual agreement is agreed, a new date will be announced.”
Al-Busaidi, who has given three rounds of speeches so far, has not been explained in detail.
Rome will start its meeting next week to choose a new pope after Pope Francis’ death. Muscat, the capital of Oman, held two other rounds of U.S.-Iran talks.
The talks were intended to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for some broken economic sanctions imposed by the United States on the Islamic Republic and ended in a half-century of hatred. The negotiations were led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
If a deal is not reached, Trump has repeatedly threatened to release air strikes against Iran. Iranian officials are increasingly warning that they can use uranium to store to near-weapon-level levels in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The U.S. president's threat on social media will pursue Iran's main economic resources. According to the Energy Information Administration, it produces an average of 2.9 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran's plans. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew the motion in 2018, a motion for attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remained on the edge in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the United States continued an air strike called “Operation Rough Rider”, a campaign that has been targeting Yemen's Houthi Rebels, who have long been supported by Iran. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Iran about rebels in the early hours of Thursday.
“A message to Iran: We see your fatal support for Huthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” he wrote.
“You know the capabilities of the U.S. military very well – and be warned. You will pay for the consequences at the time and place of our choice.”
A round of talks last Saturday, which included experts drilling into possible deal details, also happened when an explosion attacked Iranian ports, killing at least 70 people and more than 1,000 more people killed.
