Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Donald Trump threatened sanctions on Thursday against anyone buying Iranian oil, a warning issued after plans to hold talks on Tehran's rapidly moving nuclear program.
"All purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must be stopped!" Trump wrote on social media. He said that no country or person who purchased these products from Iran will be unable to conduct business with the United States "in any way, shape or form."
It is unclear how Trump enforces the ban as he threatens to impose secondary sanctions on countries that import Iranian oil. However, his statement could further escalate tensions with China, Iran's leading client, a time of serious tariffs with the U.S. president.
According to tanker tracking data, the U.S. Energy Information Administration concluded in a report released last October: "China accounts for nearly 90% of crude oil and condensate exports in 2023." Trump signed 145% tariffs on China respectively to increase federal revenue and rebalance global trade.
Trump's social media threat comes after Oman announced plans for nuclear negotiations for the next weekend. Omanian Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in an article on social platform X.
“For logistical reasons, we will reschedule 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.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also blamed "logistical and technical reasons."
"In terms of Iran, our determination to ensure that the resolution has not changed. We are more determined than ever to achieve a fair and balanced deal: to ensure an end to sanctions and build confidence that Iran's nuclear program will always remain peaceful while ensuring that Iran's rights are fully respected."
Meanwhile, a person familiar with American negotiators said the United States "never confirmed its participation" in the fourth round of negotiations held in Rome. However, the person said the U.S. expects talks to be in the "near future." The person spoke without anonymity and discussed behind closed door negotiations.
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, which ended in half a century of hatred. The negotiations were led by Araghchi and US 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 follow Iran's main economic resources. According to the Energy Information Administration, it produces an average of 2.9 million barrels per day in crude oil in 2023.
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 U.S. continued its air strikes, known as Operation Rough Rider, which has been targeting Yemen’s Houthi Rebels, which has long been supported by Iran. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Iran about rebels earlier Thursday.
"A message to Iran: We see your fatal support for Huthis. We know exactly what you are doing." "You know very well the capabilities of the U.S. military - and are warned. You will pay 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.
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Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, Matthew Lee and Josh Boak of Washington contributed to the report.