Iran defies Trump's oil sanctions in legal showdown
Iran has rejected threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Thursday warned of secondary sanctions against anyone purchasing Iranian oil and petroleum products. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled these threats as a violation of international law.
What do you need to know?
- Iran rejects Trump's threats: Iran's Foreign Ministry has criticized Donald Trump's warnings about sanctions for buying Iranian oil.
- Secondary sanctions: On Thursday, the U.S. President announced on the social media platform Truth Social that "all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must be stopped."
- Commitment to diplomacy: Iran underlines its dedication to diplomacy, noting three rounds of talks with the U.S. regarding its nuclear program.
"In this regard, we strongly condemn the continuation of illegal sanctions and pressure on Iran's trade and economic partners," stated the Iranian Foreign Ministry, as quoted by the Iran International portal. The Ministry emphasized its commitment to diplomacy, highlighting three rounds of talks with the U.S. concerning Iran's nuclear program.
"We have outlined our demands, including the removal of unjust sanctions," added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Trump threatens secondary sanctions
On Thursday, President Donald Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social that "all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must be immediately stopped!" He warned that anyone who buys "ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions (...) They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form."
In 2015, Iran and world powers reached a nuclear agreement to limit Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for partial sanctions relief. The deal included, among other things, restricting uranium enrichment to a level of 3.67 percent.
However, in 2018, during Trump's first presidency, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement, and Iran subsequently moved away from its terms by enriching uranium beyond the set limit. The West accuses Tehran of secretly developing capabilities to produce nuclear weapons, a claim Iran denies, insisting its nuclear program is solely civilian in nature.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium, including fuel with 60 percent purity, nearing levels capable of producing a nuclear weapon.
In February, Trump reinstated the "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, aiming to completely halt Iranian oil exports with the goal of persuading Tehran to abandon nuclear weapons production.
