By Ahval
The United States is set to announce on Monday that any countries that fail to halt Iranian oil imports by May 2 will face U.S. sanctions, putting Turkey and several other countries on notice, said an analysis in the Washington Post.
“This is an escalation of the Trump administration’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign, which seeks to force Tehran to end its illicit behavior around the world,” columnist Josh Rogin wrote on Sunday for the Post.
“On Monday morning, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will announce to the media that, as of May 2, the State Department will no longer grant sanctions waivers to any country that is currently importing Iranian crude.”
Last November, the State Dept. issued 180-day waivers to eight countries, including Turkey, Greece, China, and India. Last week, a top aide to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Ankara expected Trump to grant Turkey a waiver extension for its Iranian oil purchases.
“It isn’t getting one,” said Rogin.
Turkey will now need to find an alternative oil source in the next two weeks.
“Oil-poor Turkey is able to buy ~60,000 bpd (barrels per day) from its neighbour under the waiver v ~200,000 bpd before Trump reimposed sanctions,” veteran Turkish journalist Ayla Jean Yackley tweeted on Monday.
Pompeo is also set to announce that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have committed to offset any shortfalls, according to Rogin.
