US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday that the United States had decided not to extend exemptions from sanctions on Iranian oil purchases.
"Oil profits are the primary source of financing for the activities of Tehran, which Washington calls" malicious, "Pompeo told a news conference at the foreign ministry building on Monday." Exceptions from the previously banned Iranian oil embargo should be lifted. "
"This grace period is a grace period for the eight countries affected by the withdrawal of exemptions: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece," Pompeo said in response to a question from Jerusalem. Will end on May 2, 2019 next, and these countries to wean themselves from Iranian oil, and to find an alternative supplier of oil in the coming days, from now until May 2. "
The withdrawal of the exemptions coincides with the implementation of sanctions against any of the eight countries (May 2, 2019), one year after the United States withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal signed by the United States with Iran. Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany participated in July 2015 during the administration of the president Former Barack Obama.
The US secretary of state said the United States would work with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to ensure that shortages in the world oil market are met and fill any gap in oil that may occur as a result of boycotting Iranian oil.
"Iran uses oil revenues to support terrorism, and 40 percent of the Iranian regime´s income comes from oil," Pompeo told a news conference on Monday.
He reiterated that Iran must end all its "malicious" actions in the region and "stop its aggressive practices in the Middle East and across the world, especially its financial support for Hezbollah and Hamas." He also reiterated Iran´s demand to abide by the 12 conditions proposed by Pompeo To change its behavior in order to "return to the bosom of the international community," stressing that the goal is not to renegotiate a new nuclear agreement with Iran, warning of the targeting of US interests in the region.
Pompio blamed Iran for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Washington withdrew from the nuclear deal reached with Tehran and re-imposed sanctions over its "destabilizing" activities.
Saudi Arabia´s Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, Khaled Al-Falih, said the kingdom was following developments in the oil markets with interest following the recent statement by the US government on sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
Al-Falih stressed that Saudi Arabia will continue its policy of seeking stability in the markets at all times and not out of balance.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed US President Donald Trump´s decision not to extend the exemption of some countries from US sanctions against Iran´s oil sector.
In a tweet posted on his Twitter account, Netanyahu described the US decision Monday as "important to intensify pressure on Iran´s terrorist regime".
Netanyahu expressed Israel´s support for Trump´s position against the "Iranian aggression", saying that the United States is "a right way to stop it."
The twinkle came minutes after Pompeo announced Trump´s decision not to extend the exemptions granted to some US-allied countries from sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
