US revokes Iran oil sanctions waiver after alleged attack on vessels near Strait of Hormuz

The United States is revoking a waiver of sanctions that allowed the sale of Iranian oil, according to a US official. It comes after Iran allegedly fired on three commercial vessels Tuesday in Oman's territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official described the strikes as a "gross violation" of the memorandum of understanding with Iran. "As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly affirmed, the MOU in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based," a U.S. official stated. "Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior. Iran's actions across the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences. Our negotiators continue to work in good faith towards a final deal." The Qatari-flagged vessel al-Rakiyat, a liquefied natural gas tanker, was "passing near" the key waterway when it was struck, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The Qatari Foreign Ministry blamed Iran, condemning the attack as a "grave and explicit violation of international law" in a statement Tuesday. It called on Tehran to "immediately halt all practices that affect the security of the region or threaten the safety of international navigation." "We hold (Iran) fully legally responsible for this attack and any resulting damage or repercussions," the ministry added. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, citing claims from unidentified sources, earlier reported that a Qatari tanker was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz "after ignoring repeated warnings." "No official authority has yet confirmed or denied these reports," it added. The attack occurred hours before US President Donald Trump departed for a high-stakes NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where leaders are expected to discuss security in the strait, and as Iran observes a multi-day funeral for its slain supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.