U.S. revokes Iran oil sales authorization after tanker attacks

Commercial vessels and oil tankers preparing to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical strategic waterways for global trade flows, maintain their wait in the Gulf of Oman, on June 17, 2026.

Shady Alassar | Anadolu | Getty Images

The U.S. Treasury Department will revoke its authorization of Iranian oil sales after a series of attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz this week.

A U.S. official told CNBC Tuesday that Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is revoking the license that allowed the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil through August 21.

The Trump administration waived U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil under the interim deal to reopen Hormuz. But Iran has launched a series of attacks on tankers transiting the strait, despite promising safe passage to commercial ships under the deal.

The U.S. official told CNBC the memorandum of understanding with Iran is entirely performance based.

"Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior," the official said. "Iran's actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences."

Qatar held Iran resposnible for an attack on one of its natural gas tankers Tuesday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre has received three separate reports of tankers coming under attack in or near Hormuz this week. The UKTMO is a maritime security advisory service.