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US Prez Trump threatens sanction against those who purchase Iranian oil
President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened sanctions on anyone who buys Iranian oil, a warning that came after planned talks over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program were postponed.
Trump wrote on social media that All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! He said any country or person who buys those products from Iran will not be able to do business with the United States.
The threat came after Oman announced planned nuclear negotiations for this coming weekend had been postponed. A message online from Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social platform X.
For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd, he wrote. New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.
Al-Busaidi, who has mediated the talks through three rounds so far, did not elaborate.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei issued a statement describing the talks as being postponed at the request of Oman's foreign minister. He said Iran remain committed to reaching a fair and lasting agreement." Meanwhile, a person familiar with the US negotiators said that America had never confirmed its participation in a fourth round of talks in Rome. However, the person said the US expected the talks to occur in the near future. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.
Rome soon will see the Vatican begin the conclave on Wednesday to pick a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. Two other rounds of talks have been held in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic closing in on a half-century of enmity. The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran's programme if a deal isn't reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran's program. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, setting in motion years of attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remains on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the US continues an airstrike campaign, called Operation Rough Rider, that has been targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, who long have been backed by Iran. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth early Thursday warned Iran over the rebels.
Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing, he wrote. You know very well what the US Military is capable of and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.
Last Saturday's round of talks, which included experts drilling down into the details of a possible deal, also took place as an explosion rocked an Iranian port, killing at least 70 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
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