U.S. announces it will not extend the relaxation period on sanctions against Iran's oil

¬ U.S. announces lifting of sanctions against Venezuela's central bank

¬ Sources: Negotiators discussing extending the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.

¬ EU Commissioner: Ukraine still has much work to do to meet EU accession criteria

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Iran – The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Tuesday that it will not extend the temporary relief from sanctions on Iranian oil, which was previously implemented last month to mitigate the impact of the Middle East conflict on energy markets. The Treasury stated on its official account: "The temporary authorization allowing the sale of Iranian oil currently stored at sea will expire in a few days and will not be renewed."

The Treasury emphasized that it is "maintaining maximum pressure on Iran" to support U.S. military operations. Consequently, the Treasury said it is "prepared to impose secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions continuing to support Tehran’s activities."

Previously, Washington had authorized the sale of Iranian oil stored at sea before March 20 for one month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had stated this would "bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil into global markets." The exemption was set to expire on Sunday. However, earlier that day, the U.S. government announced an extension of certain sanctions relief measures targeting Russia’s energy giant Lukoil for several months.

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Venezuela – The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the suspension of sanctions against Venezuela’s central bank and three other banks in the country.

This partial lifting of economic sanctions is part of a broader process toward normalizing relations between Venezuela and the United States. Previously, the U.S. State Department announced in March this year the restoration of diplomatic ties between Caracas and Washington, which had been suspended since 2019.

Removing sanctions on Venezuela’s central bank could help facilitate billions of dollars in funds flowing into the country’s severely strained economy.

This move will allow revenues from oil sales to circulate more freely within Venezuela’s financial system, restoring a crucial channel for hard currency after years of restrictions severed the country’s links with global banking networks.

Due to compliance checks by banks on transactions related to state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), payments to local companies striving to restart crude production often remain stuck in U.S. accounts.

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Arab diplomatic sources told Sputnik News that the Iran-U.S. ceasefire agreement is set to expire on April 22, and negotiators are discussing the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

“Proposals to extend the ceasefire beyond April 22 are currently being discussed,” the sources said.

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EU Commissioner Dombrovskis, responsible for economic affairs, said Ukraine still has much work to do to meet EU accession requirements.

Dombrovskis spoke at an event hosted by the International Monetary Fund in Washington, stating: “We have clearly indicated that Ukraine’s future lies within the European Union, but to achieve this goal, Ukraine must undertake significant work to meet EU standards across multiple areas—and substantial reforms are still required.”

Source: rfi, sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862489955981312/

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