With the aim of relieving pressure on energy markets and containing the rise in crude oil prices caused by the war in Iran, the United States government temporarily authorized countries to buy Russian oil that is already in maritime transit.

In an unexpected turn in the sanctions on Russia's oil industry, the Treasury Department announced this Thursday a special license that will allow the sale and delivery to The global level of this hydrocarbon already loaded onto ships, a measure that will be in effect until April 11. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, this is a limited, short-term action intended to stabilize the international energy market. In a message posted on the social network X, Bessent stated that the decision seeks to temporarily increase the global supply of crude oil. “There are hundreds of millions of barrels of sanctioned crude at sea, and essentially, by removing the sanctions, we can create supply,” the official noted (BSS/AFP). The Treasury Secretary also emphasized that the exemption “is a carefully limited, short-term measure” that applies only to oil already in transit, and therefore “will not provide a significant financial benefit to the Russian government.” The decision comes amid strong volatility in energy markets stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. The confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran has caused disruptions to key hydrocarbon shipping routes, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the main corridors for global oil trade. Given this context, the price of a barrel of crude oil exceeded $100, driven by uncertainty about global supply. According to international media reports, the US government is seeking to prevent the price surge from affecting the global economy and exacerbating energy inflation. This measure expands on a previous decision adopted by Washington last week.when the Treasury authorized India for 30 days to purchase Russian oil that was stranded at sea due to disruptions in shipping routes caused by the regional conflict. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that the increase in crude oil prices could benefit the American economy due to its high energy production. In a message posted on Truth Social, he wrote that his country “is by far the largest oil producer in the world, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.”