Washington, DC [US], May 2 (HBTV): US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that any country or individual purchasing Iranian oil or petrochemical products will face secondary sanctions and will be barred from doing business with the United States.

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated: ‘ALERT: All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW! 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter.’

This declaration comes two weeks after the US imposed sanctions on Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co Ltd, a Chinese refinery, for purchasing over USD 1 billion worth of Iranian crude oil. The action was part of a broader crackdown on companies and vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil to China.

According to the US State Department, ‘The United States is today sanctioning Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co, Ltd, a China-based independent “teapot” refinery, for purchasing more than a billion dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil.’

The department also reaffirmed that President Trump is committed to reducing Iran’s illicit oil exports to zero, including those to China. ‘The United States is also imposing sanctions on several companies and vessels involved in facilitating Iranian oil shipments to China as part of Iran’s “shadow” fleet,’ the statement added.

This marks the second action taken by the US against an independent China-based teapot refinery since Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 on February 4.

The State Department emphasised that all sanctions would be rigorously enforced under the Trump Administration’s maximum-pressure campaign against Iran. ‘As long as Iran attempts to generate oil revenues to fund its destabilising activities, the United States will hold both Iran and all its partners in sanctions evasion accountable,’ it said.

(ANI)