Ellen R. Wald & Behnam Ben Taleblu, Columnists

Making Iran Sanctions Hit Harder This Time

The U.S. should close the loophole on petroleum condensate exports.

Flaming out?

Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

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While the Trump administration’s reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran earlier this month grabbed the headlines, a more significant date is Nov. 4, when the truly crippling penalties — including those on Iranian oil — are slated to return.

If the sanctions are to have the desired effect on Iran’s economy and behavior, Washington has just weeks to lay the groundwork by issuing clarifications, plugging loopholes, and more actively helping U.S. partners find alternatives to Iranian oil.