U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday (April 17, 2026) issued a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products at sea for about a month, seeking to control global energy prices that have shot higher during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Also Read: How the war on Iran set off worker protests around Delhi
The U.S. Treasury Department allowed purchases of the oil loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16, an extension of an original 30-day waiver that expired on April 11, according to a document posted to the department’s website.
Read more: Temporary truce: On U.S.-Israel ceasefire with Iran
Meanwhile, Iran threatens to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday (April 18, 2026). “With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open,” Mr. Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran. Follow the live for more updates:
