The United States has granted exemptions from tough, new sanctions on Iran's oil trade to seven more economies, leaving China the last remaining major importer exposed to possible penalties at the end of the month.
Washington gave waivers to India, South Korea, Turkey and four other countries in return for significantly cutting their purchases of Iranian oil, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday.
China, which alone buys as much as a fifth of Iran's crude exports, and Singapore, where much of the country's fuel oil is blended, did not receive such waivers, ramping up pressure on two important US trade partners in Asia.
The sanctions, which the United States may impose starting on June 28, are Washington's most aggressive measures yet to force Iran to reveal its nuclear program. Full story
Related:
U.S. Exempts India, Korea From Iran Oil Sanctions, Not China and Singapore - San Francisco Chronicle
