The determination from Obama means countries like India would have to continue to painfully reduce their oil import from Iran or else it faces the prospects of being slapped with sanctions by the US.
To avoid such a sanction, India and other countries would need to reduce their oil imports from Iran and thus get exemption from Secretary of State John Kerry. India has been receiving such an exemption from the Secretary of State.
"In this context, it is notable that many purchasers of Iranian crude oil continue to reduce, or have ceased altogether, their purchases from Iran," he said in a statement after Obama made the determination required under the National Defense Authorisation Act for Fiscal Year 2012 regarding the supply of petroleum and petroleum products from countries other than Iran.
"International oil supply disruptions grew but were largely offset by rising oil production from other countries, particularly from the United States and Saudi Arabia," Carney said.
"While increased Saudi output reduced spare crude production capacity, stable inventory levels and stable oil prices compared with the period a year ago indicate a well-supplied international crude market," he said.