Sanctions threat on Iran oil as nuclear talks postponed

President Donald Trump has 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 on Thursday: "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 "in any way, shape, or form".

It is unclear how Trump would implement such a ban as he threatened to levy secondary sanctions on nations that import Iranian oil. But his statement risked further escalating tensions with China, Iran's leading customer, at a time when the relationship is severely strained over the US president's tariffs.

Trump's social media threat came after Oman announced planned nuclear negotiations for this coming weekend had been postponed. 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."

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also blamed "logistical and technical reasons" for the postponement.

"On Iran's part, there is no change in our determination to secure a negotiated solution," he wrote on X.

"We are more determined than ever to achieve a just and balanced deal: guaranteeing an end to sanctions, and creating confidence that Iran's nuclear program will forever remain peaceful while ensuring that Iranian rights are fully respected."

Meanwhile, a person familiar with the US negotiators said 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 will see the Vatican begin its conclave next week to pick a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. Two other rounds of US-Iran 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 Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran's program 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.

The US president with his threat on social media would be going after Iran's major economic resource. It produced an average of 2.9 million barrels a day in 2023 of crude oil, according to the Energy Information Administration.

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 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth early on 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 U.S. 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 1000 others.