By Pishtaz | 2026-04-16

The US administration has issued a temporary oil sanctions waiver, unlocking regime's crude stranded aboard tankers and injecting supply into a rattled global market.

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control authorized deliveries under General License U, covering cargoes loaded before March 20 and expiring April 19.

The move targets a supply shock triggered by the practical closure of the Strait of Hormuz, halting roughly 20 percent of global oil flows.

Officials frame the waiver as an emergency release valve, easing a deficit estimated between 10 million and 14 million barrels per day.

Crucially, the policy releases existing inventory rather than restarting the regime's production, creating a short-lived bridge expected to suppress prices for 10 to 14 days.

The strategy also undercuts Tehran's leverage over the chokepoint by pushing oil toward major buyers including India and China.

India confirmed renewed purchases, with the tanker Ping Shun docking April 2, marking its first Islamic regime cargo in seven years.

Analysts warn prolonged disruption could drive prices toward $170 per barrel, amplifying inflation and threatening global growth.

A six-month closure risks stripping 13 million barrels per day from markets, potentially triggering a worldwide recession.

Beyond fuel, blocked fertilizer exports threaten food production, raising costs for staple crops and intensifying fears of a global food crisis.