ABU DHABI: The United States is not looking to grant more waivers for Iranian oil imports after the reimposition of US sanctions, the US special representative for Iran said on Saturday, underlining Washington’s push to choke off Tehran’s income.

“We are not looking to grant any waivers or exemptions to the import of Iranian crude,” Brian Hook told a industry conference in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.

Washington granted waivers to eight major buyers of Iranian oil - including China, India, Japan and South Korea - after restoring energy sanctions in November.

Hook declined to say what the administration in Washington would do when those waivers end in May.

“Iran is now increasingly feeling the economic isolation that our sanctions are imposing ... We do want to deny the regime revenues,” Hook said.

“Eighty per cent of Iran’s revenues come from oil exports and this is (the) number one state sponsor of terrorism ... We want to deny this regime the money it needs,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2019