Unlock the White Home Watch e-newsletter totally free
Your information to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world
The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on a Chinese language refinery for getting Iranian crude oil, as Washington more and more pushes Beijing to rein in oil purchases from the nation to extend the strain on Tehran.
The Treasury division focused Shandong Shengxing Chemical for allegedly shopping for greater than $1bn in Iranian crude oil from sources that included a entrance firm for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in violation of US sanctions.
The measure marks the second time in a month that President Donald Trump has put sanctions on a “teapot” refinery — a time period for impartial Chinese language refineries which might be the principle consumers of Iranian crude.
“Any refinery, company, or broker that chooses to purchase Iranian oil or facilitate Iran’s oil trade places itself at serious risk,” mentioned Treasury secretary Scott Bessent.
“The United States is committed to disrupting all actors providing support to Iran’s oil supply chain, which the regime uses to support its terrorist proxies and partners,” he added.
The Treasury division additionally imposed sanctions on a number of corporations and vessels for serving to Iran transport oil to China on ships which might be a part of a “shadow fleet” of vessels that search to keep away from detection.
The package deal marked the sixth spherical of sanctions that Trump has positioned on Iran as a part of his “maximum pressure campaign”.
They arrive as Washington and Beijing are within the center of a commerce conflict that Trump launched in January and escalated in latest weeks. The US has imposed a 145 per cent tariff on imports from China, which has retaliated with a 125 per cent tariff on American items.
The Trump administration has additionally stepped up strain on China over its purchases of Iranian crude. The Biden administration was criticised by Republicans for failing to exert extra strain on Beijing to cease importing oil from Iran in violation of US sanctions.
Dennis Wilder, who was a White Home Asia adviser to president George W Bush, mentioned former president Joe Biden “turned a blind eye to China’s purchase of up to 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports”.
“This was, in large part, out of concern that a fully enforced embargo on Iran would lead to a sharp rise in oil prices that would affect US consumers,” Wilder mentioned. “Chinese oil purchases have helped build a close relationship between Tehran and Beijing in which China benefits by gaining greater commercial access in the region.”
The brand new sanctions come because the Trump administration is holding talks with Tehran on curbing the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme, prompting hopes of a breakthrough in one of many Center East’s most intractable issues.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s particular envoy, held oblique talks with Iranian overseas minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman on Saturday. The pair are as a result of maintain a second spherical of talks this coming Saturday.
The Chinese language embassy in Washington has been approached for remark.
Extra reporting by Man Chazan in Washington
