The U.S. was not prepared for this war and underestimated what Iran was willing to do.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, amid a sharp rise in energy prices, allowed the sale of Russian oil. This move will benefit Russia as it will provide it with enormous financial support.
This is reported by The Washington Post (WP), analyzing Washington's decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian oil to stabilize markets and mitigate the economic consequences of the war with Iran.
The general license issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury allows Russia to begin selling about 128 million barrels of oil that are estimated to have already been loaded onto tankers that were previously under U.S. sanctions. The license is valid for 30 days, WP notes.
This step will bring Russia enormous financial benefits, emphasizes the author of the publication, as experts believe it is already receiving about 150 million dollars a day from increased oil sales since the United States struck Iran two weeks ago.
The decision will undoubtedly also be criticized by Democrats in Congress. They previously condemned the administration for easing sanctions on Russian oil, which allowed limited sales only to India. The new license is much broader and allows sales to any point in the world, WP notes.
The author of the article emphasizes that lifting sanctions makes Russian dictator Vladimir Putin one of the main beneficiaries of Trump's war against Iran.
Experts also believe that Tehran could become a beneficiary, as the Iranian regime owns tankers that make up a "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil.
"This only underscores that Russia is the main winner in this conflict," WP quotes Brett Erikson, managing director of the consulting firm Obsidian Risk Advisors.
He added that this demonstrates that the U.S. was not prepared for this war and underestimated what Iran was willing to do regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen stated that Washington is considering lifting sanctions on part of Russian oil to increase supply and reduce shortages in the global market amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. His statement came after the U.S. introduced a 30-day easing of sanctions, allowing India to purchase Russian oil that is already on tankers at sea.
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