US Restores Sanctions on Russian Oil as Iran Waiver Also Set to Expire

The Trump administration will let a temporary waiver on Russian oil expire, effectively restoring sanctions, while a similar 30-day authorization for Iranian oil also will not be renewed. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied US President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2026. Trump on Tuesday expressed frustration that his message on the economy was "not getting across," blaming his spokespeople for the issue. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Washington, DC – US sanctions on Russian oil are back in force after the Trump administration let a temporary waiver expire over the weekend and chose not to renew it. Treasury did not issue a formal statement on the Russian waiver – unlike the Iran waiver – but when the measure was introduced on March 12, it was framed as temporary. By allowing the waiver to lapse quietly, the administration effectively restored sanctions on Russian oil cargoes covered by the license. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The US is also set to let its temporary waiver on Iranian oil expire. The Treasury Department said the 30-day authorization allowing the sale of Iranian oil already stranded at sea will expire on April 19 and will not be renewed. The department said “Economic Fury” would deploy the full range of available financial tools against Iran. The phrase appears to echo Operation Epic Fury, the campaign the Trump administration launched against Iran on February 28. Treasury also warned financial institutions that it is prepared to use the full range of available tools and authorities, including secondary sanctions against foreign banks that continue to support Iran’s activities. Ahead of the expiration of the Russian oil sanctions waiver on April 11, Senate Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren urged the Trump administration not to extend it. The lawmakers argued that Russia and its enablers were already making an estimated additional $150 million per day, or more than $4 billion to date, because of disruption tied to the Iran war. The senators also said the administration had rewarded the Kremlin even as Russia supported Iran and continued striking Ukraine, including a barrage of 1,000 strikes in late March. In March, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent  said the waiver was temporary and would not deliver significant financial benefits to the Russian government. Russia has since moved to frame the decision as proof that Western economies remain dependent on its energy exports. Former US ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer told Kyiv Post in March that easing pressure on Russian energy exports came at the wrong time because Moscow stood to benefit from the oil crisis while showing no sign it had softened its position on the war against Ukraine. The US first moved to ban Russian energy imports in March 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sevinj Osmanqizi is a journalist covering US foreign policy, security, and geopolitics, with a focus on the broader post-Soviet space. She reports on Washington’s decision-making and its implications for Ukraine and regional stability.