The Trump Administration is prepared to begin enforcing strictly the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry and exports, U.S. Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, told Bloomberg at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference.
The United States has imposed sanctions on a network of people and firms accused of facilitating the sale of millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to bring Iran’s crude exports to zero.
Goldman Sachs analysts predict Brent crude prices could temporarily surge to $93 per barrel if sanctions successfully curb oil exports from Iran and Russia by a combined 1 million barrels per day (bpd). In a note shared by Zerohedge on X, the bank outlined a scenario where Iran faces persistent supply disruptions while Russia experiences temporary setbacks, tightening global crude markets. With geopolitical tensions already pressuring supply chains, traders are watching for any policy shifts that could exacerbate the squeeze.
In recent months, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with his deputies and other officials, have been frequently addressing the nation about the ongoing gasoline crisis and the country’s excessive fuel consumption. These repeated appearances seem to signal a coordinated effort to prepare the public for an imminent increase in gasoline prices.
The Ministry of Energy has asked the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Board of Revenue to crack down on the rampant smuggling of Iranian petroleum products, which has already forced one refinery to shut down a unit and also threatens refinery upgrade agreements worth billions of dollars.
Iran is calling for an oil embargo on Israel over the latest deadly air strikes on the Gaza Strip amid growing tensions in the Middle East just as U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Israel.