Trump Launches Massive Sanctions on Iran After Nuclear Talks Collapse

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced sweeping secondary sanctions against Iran, declaring that any country continuing to purchase Iranian oil or petrochemicals will be barred from doing business with the United States. He further stated that all purchases of Iranian oil must cease immediately.

The announcement came on the same day the fourth round of indirect nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran was cancelled. Oman, which had been hosting and mediating the negotiations, cited “logistical issues” for the cancellation. However, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ismael Baqaei said the postponement stemmed from concerns over shifting American demands—after which Oman reportedly proposed scrapping the talks for the time being.

Since returning to office, President Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, centered on the use of economic sanctions to weaken Tehran. However, the imposition of secondary sanctions targeting third-party nations that buy Iranian oil marks a significant escalation, effectively pushing Washington’s strategy into the realm of full-scale economic warfare.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that the administration's goal is to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero.

The tactic of secondary sanctions has long been promoted by hawkish voices in Washington, though it has never been implemented at this scale. Senator Lindsey Graham and President Trump have also discussed applying similar measures against Russia as a means of gaining leverage during peace negotiations with Ukraine.

China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, is unlikely to comply with U.S. directives, and any punitive actions taken against other nations over Iranian oil purchases could place further strain on the American economy.