<Anchor>

The Trump Administration has decided to ban imports of Iranian crude oil from February 2. He said he would not recognize the sanctions exempted in some countries including Korea. Since the announcement in the US, the price of oil has surged to around 3%, and Korea, which had a lot of imports from Iran, is expected to suffer a blow.

In Washington, Son Seokmin correspondent reports.

<Reporter>

The White House and the State Department announced that they would not extend the United States' exclusive sanctions exemption on Iranian oil importing countries.

Starting on the 2nd of next month, it means to stop importing foreign countries status in 8 countries including Korea and Japan.

[Pompeii / US Secretary of State: We will not approve any more exemptions. We will make Iran's exports zero.

Pompei said he would try to block Iran's main source of income by putting pressure on allies with allies to end the Iranian regime's actions that threaten the stability of the Middle East.

The US government has restored sanctions against Iran in November of last year and approved a temporary exception for 180 days for eight countries including Korea.

Immediately after the ban was announced, oil prices surged more than 3 percent, marking the highest level in six months.

Korea, which has relied on Iranian acid for a considerable amount of superlative oil used for synthetic fiber raw materials, is expected to import more expensive substitute materials, which will weaken its price competitiveness.

President Trump said that Saudi Arabia and other member countries of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will increase supply to stabilize oil prices.