Bangladesh, May 2 -- In a decisive escalation of tensions with Tehran, US President Donald Trump announced on May 1 that countries purchasing Iranian oil or petrochemical products will face secondary sanctions, warning that violators will be barred from doing business with the United States. The move threatens to further destabilize ongoing nuclear negotiations and inflame regional tensions, even as both sides claim to remain open to diplomacy.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared, “All purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemical products must stop, now!” He warned that any nation or entity continuing such trade “will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or for...