U.S. to Resume Sanctions on Iranian Oil on the 19th

[Financial News] The administration of Donald Trump has decided to end the temporary easing of sanctions on Iranian crude oil and fully reinstate the measures, pushing the Middle East situation and the global energy market back into a tense phase. The waiver had been introduced to cushion the shock of war, but tightening it again is expected to significantly raise the level of economic pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to foreign media reports on the 14th local time, the United States government plans to resume sanctions on Iranian crude oil starting at 12:01 a.m. on the 19th Eastern Time (ET). Earlier, on the 20th of last month, the Trump administration had temporarily allowed the sale of Iranian oil that was stuck offshore for 30 days in order to curb the surge in international oil prices triggered by the war.
That measure released about 140 million barrels of crude into the market, helping to ease global energy supply concerns. Finance minister Scott Bessent also assessed that this additional supply contributed to stabilizing the energy market during the war.
However, with the waiver now expired, the United States has reverted to a hard-line stance. The renewed sanctions go beyond simply restricting oil transactions and effectively amount to a broad economic blockade targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s entire economy.
In practice, the United States is simultaneously moving to block shipping routes that either depart from or arrive at Iranian ports as the sanctions resume. Analysts say this is intended not only to physically cut off export channels for Iranian crude, but also to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from collecting transit fees and similar charges in the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, the United States has brought out the so-called secondary sanctions card. Companies and financial institutions in third countries that purchase Iranian oil or are involved in related transactions will also be subject to penalties. An administration official warned, "Any economic activity with Iran could trigger additional sanctions."
Energy sanctions on Russia are also being tightened. The United States is understood to have declined to extend a temporary waiver on maritime trade in Russian crude that expired on the 11th. In effect, a two-track energy sanctions strategy targeting both the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia is now taking full shape.
This policy shift is closely linked to political pressure at home. In the United States Congress, lawmakers from both parties had criticized the temporary easing of sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia, arguing it could end up facilitating the flow of war funds. In both countries, energy exports are regarded as a key source of financing for their war efforts.
At the same time, market participants are voicing concerns that reduced supply will put upward pressure on oil prices, and that prolonged sanctions could deliver another shock to global logistics and the broader energy market.

km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter