On 20 April, the US Department of Justice asked for the cargo of Pegas to be frozen because its sale would fund terrorism. The US request was based on sanctions imposed on Iran when the Trump administration withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018. The EU and its member states, however, were still committed. Reuters reported that it was unclear if the cargo was seized because it was Iranian oil or because the tanker was subject to sanctions because of its connections to Russia. The US has separate sanctions for Iran and Russia.
