How Trump’s Venezuela Sanctions Could Undercut His Iran Policy

The oil sanctions that U.S. President Donald Trump levied on Venezuela Monday represent Washington’s strongest effort yet to oust embattled leader Nicolás Maduro by starving his regime of funds.

But the move could exact a larger strategic cost. The new U.S. sanctions, which could take lots of Venezuelan oil off the market, also will likely make it that much harder to put the screws to Iran with tougher restrictions on Tehran’s oil sales later this spring.

“The Venezuela sanctions, along with sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, will create a tighter market for heavy crude oil,” said Sara Vakhshouri, the president of SVB Energy International. Together, “that would lead to another round of 180-day U.S. waivers on Iran’s oil exports.”

Read the full article and more in Foreign Policy.