NEW YORK, April 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that exemptions allowing for the purchase of Russian oil already at sea would not be renewed after the current license expires on May 16.
"I wouldn't imagine that we'd have another extension. I think the Russian oil on the water has been largely sucked up," Bessent said in an interview with the U.S. media.
A renewal of the one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table, Bessent said. "We have the blockade, and there's no oil coming out," he said.
The United States first issued a 30-day license in March allowing shipments of Russian oil loaded by March 11, aiming to ease global supply shortages stemming from the Middle East conflict. It then extended the license for another 30 days on April 17. ■