Washington, Apr 16 (V7N) — The United States has decided not to extend the waiver that allowed limited purchases of Russian oil, as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East.

The administration of President Donald Trump confirmed the decision on Wednesday, effectively ending a temporary arrangement that had permitted certain countries to continue buying oil from Russia and Iran despite sanctions.

According to a report by NDTV, India was the primary beneficiary of the waiver. The exemption had enabled New Delhi to maintain oil imports from Russia even as instability around the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global energy markets.

Citing government sources, the report said India ordered approximately 30 million barrels of oil from Russia during the waiver period. Earlier, major Indian refiners such as Reliance Industries had reduced imports from Russian suppliers Rosneft and Lukoil due to US sanctions.

At a press briefing, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, “We will not renew the general license granted to Russian oil, and we will not do the same for Iranian oil.” He added that the waiver applied only to shipments already at sea before March 11 and has now expired.

The US Treasury had initially introduced the waiver on March 11, allowing Indian refiners to purchase oil from Russian tankers already in transit. A similar temporary relaxation was later extended to Iranian oil imports. The deadline for Russian oil purchases ended on April 11, while the Iranian oil waiver is set to expire on April 19.

Despite requests from several Asian countries, including India, to extend the waiver, the White House has opted not to renew the measure, signaling a stricter stance on energy-related sanctions.

END/SMA/AJ