U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his campaign against Iran by threatening to impose secondary sanctions on any country or person purchasing Iranian oil or petrochemical products, a move widely interpreted as targeting China, Tehran’s largest customer.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump wrote:
“Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions. They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.”
The statement reinforces Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign, reinstated in February, aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero and compelling Tehran to curtail its nuclear activities. The policy comes amid delayed nuclear negotiations and rising regional tensions.
Iran nuclear talks postponed
The announcement follows the postponement of the fourth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, which had been scheduled for Saturday in Rome. Oman, which has mediated the talks, cited “logistical reasons” for the delay. However, Iranian officials linked the setback to the U.S.’s increasingly aggressive sanctions posture, including fresh sanctions announced Wednesday on seven entities accused of facilitating Iranian oil trade.
Despite the setback, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains committed to a diplomatic resolution:
“We are more determined than ever to achieve a just and balanced deal… while ensuring that Iranian rights are fully respected.”
A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, told reporters that while Washington had not confirmed attendance at the Rome talks, discussions are expected to continue “in the near future.”
China in the crosshairs
Though Trump did not explicitly name China, the implications are clear. China imports the vast majority of Iran’s oil—as much as 1.8 million barrels per day in March, according to market tracker Vortexa. Analysts believe that to truly restrict Iran’s oil revenues, the U.S. would have to target Chinese state-owned firms and financial institutions facilitating the purchases.
Scott Modell, a former CIA officer and CEO of Rapidan Energy, noted:
“These comments underscore Trump’s belief in negotiating through strength… but unless he goes after Beijing’s state-owned infrastructure, the impact on Iranian oil exports will be limited.”
The warning comes as U.S.-China trade tensions remain high, with Beijing already facing a 145% tariff on most exports to the U.S. under Trump’s revived tariff regime.
Oil markets react, risks rise
Oil prices rose on the news. Brent crude closed up 1.8% at US$62.13, while WTI rose 1.77% to US$59.24, amid fears that enforcement of sanctions could remove over 1.5 million barrels per day from the market.
“These low prices of oil are giving the Trump administration cover to more strictly enforce those sanctions,” said Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates.
Meanwhile, OPEC+ is weighing an acceleration of production increases to stabilise prices, with eight member nations set to meet on May 5 to discuss output for June.
Military threats linger
Trump’s rhetoric wasn’t limited to sanctions. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a pointed warning to Iran over its alleged support for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, declaring:
“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.”
Trump has also not ruled out military intervention if talks fail. In a recent interview with Time, he stated:
“If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”
Still, the president struck an optimistic tone:
“I think we’re going to make a deal with Iran. Nobody else could do that.”