US Lifts Iran Sanctions, Removes IRGC-Linked Airlines From Blacklist As Nuclear Deal Hopes Rise

Published 5 August 2026 · world

News world US Lifts Iran Sanctions, Removes IRGC-Linked Airlines From Blacklist As Nuclear Deal Hopes Rise US Lifts Iran Sanctions, Removes IRGC-Linked Airlines From Blacklist

News world US Lifts Iran Sanctions, Removes IRGC-Linked Airlines From Blacklist As Nuclear Deal Hopes Rise US Lifts Iran Sanctions, Removes IRGC-Linked Airlines From Blacklist As Nuclear Deal Hopes Rise Published By, Last Updated: August 05, 2026, 21:39 IST Iranian officials have welcomed the sanctions relief but maintain that the complete removal of sanctions remains essential before Tehran resumes full compliance. US President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei (Photos: AFP) The United States has removed counterterrorism sanctions from two aircraft and three airlines linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to details published on the US Treasury Department’s website on Wednesday. The move comes as the US Treasury lifted certain sanctions on Iran, signalling fresh momentum towards a renewed nuclear agreement and carrying wider implications for global oil markets and diplomacy in the Middle East. What sanctions were lifted? According to official information, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has removed several Iranian entities and individuals from its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.

The decision allows those entities to resume transactions with US and international banks. However, key sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports and central bank remain in force. The sanctions relief appears to focus on non-nuclear sectors, including technology, pharmaceuticals and humanitarian goods, which had been affected by secondary sanctions introduced during the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure" campaign. Boost for nuclear negotiations The partial easing of sanctions is being viewed as a confidence-building step ahead of renewed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Officials have stressed that the move does not amount to a full lifting of the sanctions regime and that several major issues remain unresolved before a broader agreement can be reached. The talks have been stalled over disagreements on uranium enrichment, the pace of sanctions relief and verification mechanisms. The latest step is seen as an effort to create a more favourable atmosphere for negotiations. Oil market impact The prospect of sanctions relief has already influenced oil market sentiment.

Iran holds some of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and expectations of increased Iranian exports have contributed to a slight decline in oil prices as traders assess the possibility of additional supply entering the market. If an agreement is reached, Iran would require several months to significantly increase production. A full lifting of oil-related sanctions could eventually allow Iran to add between one and two million barrels of crude oil per day to global supplies, potentially easing international oil prices. Mixed reactions Iranian officials have welcomed the sanctions relief but maintain that the complete removal of sanctions remains essential before Tehran resumes full compliance. European signatories to the nuclear agreement have urged both sides to remain flexible as negotiations continue. Within the United States, some lawmakers have criticised the move, arguing that any sanctions relief should be linked not only to Iran’s nuclear programme but also to changes in its ballistic missile programme and regional activities.