The United States on Tuesday (local time) revoked a sanctions waiver that had allowed the sale of Iranian oil, according to the Treasury Department. The license, issued last month as part of an interim agreement to halt fighting between the US and Iran, had eased restrictions on Iranian oil exports for 60 days. According to a US official, the license was revoked because Iran’s actions in the strait were “unacceptable and needed to be met with consequences.”The Iranian foreign ministry condemned Washington’s move to revoke the license, saying in a statement that it violates the interim deal and that “the US government bears responsibility for the consequences of this breach of commitment.”The move came hours after the British military said three tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the latest attacks on vessels transiting the strategic waterway at the centre of efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict between Washington and Tehran.The tankers were hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, marking the highest number of attacks in a single day since late April, according to figures from the UN’s International Maritime Organization. The incidents threatened to disrupt traffic through the strategic waterway just as countries sought to restore normal shipping and ease the global economic strain caused by the conflict.One tanker caught fire after being struck off the coast of Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Iranian state television reported that the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but stopped short of claiming responsibility.The other two vessels sustained minor damage but were able to continue their voyages, with no injuries reported.Tehran has repeatedly maintained that only its designated route through the Strait of Hormuz is safe, and has previously been suspected of attacking ships that used an alternative route closer to Oman’s coastline. The location data released by the UKMTO indicated that all three attacks occurred off the coast of Oman or the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, suggesting the vessels had been using that route.(With AP inputs)
