With US sanctions waivers set to expire early next month, a State Department official said Tuesday that the US remained committed to “zeroing out” Iranian crude oil exports, claiming that global oil market conditions this year better allow for a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran. “With oil prices actually lower than they were when we announced our sanctions and global production stable, we are on the fast track to zeroing out all purchases of Iranian crude,” Brian Hook, the US State Department’s special representative for Iran, told reporters. In November, the US granted waivers, or significant reduction exemptions, from reimposed US sanctions to eight of Iran’s biggest oil buyers. Three of those buyers have reduced their purchases of Iranian crude to zero, Hook said, adding that US sanctions on Iranian oil exports have taken roughly […]