U.S. official says Iran oil sanctions could release 140 million barrels at sea
A U.S. Treasury official said in a Fox Business interview that sanctions on Iranian crude oil could be lifted for oil already at sea within days, potentially freeing about 140 million barrels. The official framed the move as part of a strategy to deter Tehran while keeping oil prices in check by using Iran’s crude in the real market rather than through financial-market maneuvers.
The official said that if the disruption from a potential Strait of Hormuz closure were to create a daily shortfall of roughly 10 million to 14 million barrels, the roughly 140 million-barrel release could help stabilize markets for about three weeks. The comment illustrates how policymakers see short-term supply maneuvers as a tool to blunt price spikes during chokepoint disruptions.
Iran is a major crude producer, but its shipments have been constrained by U.S. sanctions. The official noted that about 80% of Iran’s export volume is directed to China, and he said the seaborne oil in question would have originally gone entirely to China. The claim highlights how shifts in Iranian shipments could ripple through Asian markets and global supply chains.
The official stressed there would be no intervention in oil futures markets. “We are not going to manipulate the futures market,” he said, adding that the government would intervene in the physical oil market if needed and that additional tools remain available. This distinction matters for how investors price risk versus how governments manage actual supply.
For U.S. readers, the potential move matters because any alteration in Iran’s crude flows could influence global oil prices, with knock-on effects on energy bills, airline and manufacturing costs, and broader inflation. Even the prospect of easing or tightening sanctions on Iranian crude can sway market sentiment and the budgets of American households and companies reliant on stable energy costs.
![Last two days me and Somayeh were in another lovely city of Iran, named Tabriz, located in north western part of Iran, Azerbaijan state.
This old house is build on about 100 years ago, which is now part of architecture department of Sahand University of Technology.
The place name is "Behnam's House", but unfortunately I don't know who was Behnam, and there were no man whom I could ask this him there.
Tabriz, from Wikipedia:
Tabriz (Persian: تبریز , Azerbaijani: Təbriz) is the largest city in north-western Iran with a population of 1.2 million people. Tabriz is situated north of the volcanic cone of Sahand south of the Eynali mountain. It is the capital of East Azarbaijan Province.
Tabriz is the main cultural center of Iranian Azarbaijan, and most of its people are Azerbaijanis.
Historically, the founding of the city is shrouded in mystery. Most sources mention the Sassanid era, while others believe it to be even further back in history. After the Turkic invasion of Iran, Tabriz later became the capital of the Ilkhanate empire from about 1270 to 1305, of the Aq Quyunlu from about 1469 to about 1502, and of the Safavids from 1502-1548. It also fell under Ottoman rule for some time during the time of the Safavids,.
Research by British Egyptologist and historian David Rohl suggests that the Biblical Garden of Eden was situated here. His findings were published in his book Legend: The Genesis of Civilisation and then made into a documentary for the Discovery Channel.[citation needed]
Violent earthquakes have wiped out most of the historic monuments of Tabriz. One important monument that has survived these earthquakes is the Tabriz Citadel (Ark-e Tabriz or Ark-e Ælishah), a ruin of vertical book-shaped elements. The Blue Mosque of Tabriz (Göy-Mæčid), is another important monument in the city.
Shah Goli.
Enlarge
Shah Goli.
Tabriz is where the constitutionalists of Iran was centered during the early 20th century. An American who died defending the Constitutional Revolution, Howard Baskerville, is buried in Tabriz. The famous Iranian historian and philosopher, Ahmad Kasravi, was born in a nearby village called Hokmavar. Samad Behrangi, a famous writer and musicians, along with Ali Salimi, Vahid Houseini, and Qolamhossein Bigjekhani were tar specialists from this city.
Daytime temperatures usually reach at least 30 degrees Celsius (high 80s Fahrenheit) in July and August and drop below freezing in January.
More info can be found on " en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabriz
Special license granting for WikiPedia: This photo can be used under " CC-BY-3.0 just on WikiPedia (*.wikipedia.com) and WikiMedia (*.wikimedia.com).](https://journalkor.site/content/images/2026/03/02_Behnam_s_House__Sahand_University_of_Technology__Tabriz__Azerbaijan__Iran__08-19-2006.jpg)
Contextual background helps: Iran has faced extensive sanctions from the United States linked to its nuclear program, limiting its ability to export oil. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, is a critical chokepoint for global crude flows, and shifts in Iranian shipments can reverberate through OPEC+ pricing and global energy markets. China has been the primary destination for a large share of Iran’s oil, shaping how any policy change could affect U.S.-China economic and energy ties.
The remarks reflect a single official’s briefing rather than an official policy announcement, and a final U.S. government decision would require broader coordination across agencies and lawmakers. Markets will be watching closely for any formal steps or additional detail about timing and scope.