FLORIDA: US officials have announced that the Trump administration will lift sanctions on Iranian oil stranded at sea under a one-month license as the White House tries to bring down soaring oil prices.
The pause applies to Iranian oil loaded on ships as of Friday and is set to end April 19.
"By temporarily unlocking this existing supply for the world, the United States will quickly bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets, expanding the amount of worldwide energy and helping to relieve the temporary pressures on supply caused by Iran," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
Iran had earlier on Friday threatened to expand its retaliatory attacks to include recreational and tourist sites worldwide, as the US announced it was sending more warships and Marines to the region.
Hours later, President Donald Trump said on social media that his administration in fact was considering "winding down" military operations in the region.
His post came after another climb in oil plunged the US stock market.
The mixed messages came as the war has shown no signs of abating.
Iran launched more attacks on Israel and energy sites in neighbouring Gulf Arab states, and the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar.
Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday, as Israeli airstrikes landed in Tehran.
With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing US and Israeli strikes, which began February 28 -- or even who was truly in charge of the country.
But Iran's attacks are still choking off oil supplies and raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.
The US and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran's leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programmes.
There have been no public signs of any such uprising and no end to the war in sight.
(With inputs from AP, AFP)