LONDON, Apr 23 (Reuters): Oil prices hit their highest since November on Tuesday after Washington announced all waivers on imports of sanctions-hit Iranian oil would end next week, pressuring importers to stop buying from Tehran and further tightening global supply.
Brent crude futures were at $74.25 per barrel at 1055 GMT, up 21 cents or 0.28 per cent from their last close, after reaching their loftiest level since November at $74.70.
US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $65.94 per barrel, up 39 cents or 0.59 per cent, having marked their strongest since October at $66.19 in earlier trading.
Despite the move by Washington, spare capacity from other suppliers such as Saudi Arabia might be able to ensure oil markets cope with a cut in Iranian exports.
"The oil price is likely going to continue on its current bull-ride for a while before Saudi Arabia decides to pitch in with substantially more production," SEB commodities strategist Bjarne Schieldrop said.
The US on Monday demanded that buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers, most of them in Asia, to continue importing limited volumes.
Before the reimposition of sanctions last year, Iran was the fourth-largest producer among the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries at around 3.0 million barrels per day (bpd), but April exports have shrunk to below 1.0 million bpd, according to tanker data and industry sources.
China, Iran's largest customer with imports of about 585,400 bpd of crude oil last year, formally complained to Washington over the move, which a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said "will contribute to volatility in the Middle East and in the international energy market".
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