Washington, 19 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signalled a possible easing of sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea as Washington seeks to stabilize global energy markets amid rising prices.

"In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that's on the water," Bessent told Fox Business. "It's about 140 million barrels."

"In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians to keep the price down for the next 10 or 14 days as we continue this campaign," he said.

The world's attention is focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route linking Gulf oil to global markets. Maritime traffic there has slowed to a near standstill due to Iranian attacks.

In response to rising energy prices, the United States has also temporarily allowed purchases of Russian oil currently being transported by sea in an effort to boost global supply.

Photo: dpa