Temporary lifting of oil sanctions, Iran accuses "psychological warfare"

According to Agence France-Presse, the US Treasury has temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil shipped before March 20, in the latest move by Washington to curb the oil supply crisis triggered by the Middle East war. According to TASS on March 20, a spokesman for the Iranian Oil Ministry responded to the proposal to lift sanctions on Iranian oil made by US Treasury Secretary Benson, saying that Iran currently has no oil tankers loading oil at sea, and there is no surplus energy available for export. The Iranian Oil Ministry stated: "Currently, Iran has almost no oil tankers loading oil at sea, and there is no extra oil available for export to international markets." Iran sees this proposal by the US official as "psychological warfare by the US Treasury." Iran's Mehr media group quoted the Oil Ministry spokesman as saying: "Benson's statement is purely to give buyers hope and control the market psychologically."