Trump Suggests Lifting Iran Sanctions 'When They Behave'

At the G7 summit on June 17, US President Trump suggested that Iran sanctions could be lifted if the country 'behaves'. This comes just days after the US and Iran finalized a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which includes a 60-day ceasefire and paves the way for continued negotiations over sanctions relief, nuclear issues, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's remarks echoed his administration's previous actions, including a maximum pressure strategy reimposed in February 2025 and temporary waivers issued in March 2026, which allowed approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian oil to enter global markets.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had previously targeted four Iranian crypto exchanges: Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin, and Ramzinex. These exchanges accounted for the majority of Iran's digital-asset inflows in 2025, with Nobitex being the dominant on-ramp for crypto activity.

A sanctions rollback could reactivate these exchanges, potentially unleashing pent-up demand for stablecoins like USDT. This is because USDT offers dollar exposure without requiring a US bank account, making it an attractive option in sanctioned economies.