The United States is revoking a general license that authorized the sale of Iranian oil, a US official said on Tuesday, warning that Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz were “wholly unacceptable” and would be met with consequences after attacks on tankers in the strategic waterway.
Oil prices rose more than 3% following the announcement.
The US official said negotiators continued to work in good faith toward a final agreement with Iran despite the latest escalation.
The US move came after three tankers reported being struck by unknown projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, the British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO said in a report. There was no immediate comment from Tehran, or any claim of responsibility.
The attacks and the US response threaten to put a fragile diplomatic understanding between Washington and Tehran on shaky ground, raising the risk that further retaliation could derail negotiations over a broader agreement. Another US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial indications were that Iran had fired at three commercial vessels.
The potential escalation comes as both sides had been working toward a deal that included limits on Iran’s nuclear program and relief from some sanctions, including restrictions on oil exports.
