As the US Congress moves closer toward enacting sanctions on Iran’s central bank, the Obama administration remains wary of the policy and is working hard behind the scenes to find alternative ways to further isolate Tehran without roiling oil markets. Sources say one approach the State Department is advocating and coordinating among allies is the imposition of a punitive tariff on Iranian crude imports. In markets where the tariff would be applied — such as the European Union, Japan and South Korea — the policy would effectively force refiners to substitute Iranian oil for other supplies, or pay a tax on Iranian imports.
展开▼
