US President Donald Trump in a fresh warning has said that anyone buying oil from Iran could face “secondary sanctions”. His warning comes amid a trade war and delayed talks about Iran’s nuclear program. Trump in a post on social media said, “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” He added that any person or country that continues to buy those products from Iran would be blocked from doing business with the United States “in any way, shape, or form.”
Will the possible ‘secondary sanctions’ hit India?
Experts at Elara Capital have said that although India has earlier relied heavily on Iranian oil, making it the country’s third-largest supplier until 2019, it has not imported oil from Iran as of April 2025 due to the ongoing US sanctions. Any future imports from Iran would only be possible if US sanctions are eased or lifted.
Currently, India sources most of its crude oil from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. The major companies handling these imports include Nayara Energy (backed by Rosneft), Reliance Industries (RIL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation.
It is worth noting here that the United States had sanctioned over 30 entities in February this year, including four Indian firms, for their alleged roles in the trade and transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had then stated that the move is part of ongoing efforts to curb Iran’s oil exports entirely. According to OFAC, the sanctioned vessels have been involved in moving tens of millions of barrels of crude, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The Indian companies named in the action were Austenship Management Private Ltd (Noida), BSM Marine Ltd (Gurgaon), Cosmos Lines (Thanjavur), and Flux Maritime (Navi Mumbai).
China – Top buyer of Iranian oil
Trump’s threat of “secondary sanctions” can be seen as an escalation against both Iran and China. It isn’t clear yet as to how or when Trump plans to enforce this ban. But one thing is clear, this move could further increase tensions between US and China as China is the top buyer of Iranian ol, reported AP.
Trump didn’t directly mention China in his remarks. However, data from Vortexa, a firm that analyzes energy and shipping markets, showed that China imported a record 1.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil per day in March, a report by Politico said. Trump’s latest warning seems aimed at increasing pressure on both Iran and China, even as the White House works to secure important agreements with each of them.
On the other hand, tanker tracking data reviewed by the US Energy Information Administration showed that nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil and condensate exports in 2023 went to China, reported AP.
Trump’s latest threat of sanctions came shortly after Oman announced that upcoming nuclear talks had been delayed. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi posted on X that the meeting between the US and Iran, which was originally planned for Saturday, May 3, had to be rescheduled due to logistical issues. He said new dates would be shared once both sides agreed.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cited logistical and technical reasons for the change. He stressed that Iran remains committed to reaching a fair and peaceful agreement — one that would end sanctions and assure the world that Iran’s nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes while respecting Iran’s rights.
