Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of adopting double standards regarding Russian oil, arguing that Washington is now encouraging countries to buy Russian crude despite previously pressuring them to reduce such imports. His remarks came amid rising global energy tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
In a post on the social media platform X, Araghchi criticised what he described as a shift in US policy on Russian oil. According to him, the United States had spent months urging countries—particularly India—to stop purchasing Russian crude following sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, he claimed that the same administration is now encouraging nations to buy Russian oil as the conflict in the Middle East disrupts global energy markets.
Araghchi wrote that Washington had earlier exerted strong pressure on India to cut its imports of Russian oil but was now appealing to the international community, including India, to purchase Russian crude in order to stabilise global energy supplies. He described the situation as contradictory and accused the United States of hypocrisy in its approach to energy diplomacy.
The Iranian minister also criticised European governments in the same message. He alleged that some European countries supported what he described as an “illegal war” against Iran in the belief that such backing would strengthen their relations with the United States and secure support against Russia. Araghchi dismissed that strategy as misguided.
His comments were accompanied by a reference to a Financial Times headline reporting that rising oil prices were providing Russia with a significant boost in energy revenues. The mention was intended to highlight the broader geopolitical implications of the current energy crisis.
The remarks came shortly after the administration of US President Donald Trump announced a temporary policy change aimed at stabilising global oil markets. On Thursday, Washington introduced a 30-day waiver allowing countries to purchase Russian oil cargoes that are currently stranded at sea. The decision was presented as a temporary measure designed to address the sharp rise in global oil prices during the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The waiver was introduced after benchmark crude prices surged beyond 100 US dollars per barrel due to disruptions in global supply. One of the major factors contributing to the supply shock has been the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran during the conflict. The narrow maritime corridor is among the most important oil shipping routes in the world and carries a large share of internationally traded crude.
According to the US Treasury Department, the temporary licence permits the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products that had already been loaded onto vessels as of March 12. The authorisation will remain valid until midnight Washington time on April 11.
The measure followed an earlier decision announced on March 5 that granted India a separate 30-day waiver to purchase Russian oil shipments already at sea. That move provided Indian refiners limited flexibility to secure energy supplies during the ongoing market disruptions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the waiver as a narrowly tailored and temporary step aimed at stabilising global markets rather than easing broader sanctions on Russia. He emphasised that the policy was intended to prevent further disruption in oil supplies and would not significantly increase revenue for Moscow.
Meanwhile, despite the broader regional conflict, Iran has taken steps to allow certain vessels to continue using the Strait of Hormuz. According to a Reuters report citing sources familiar with the matter, Iran has permitted two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers to pass safely through the waterway.
Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed that vessels travelling to India would be allowed safe transit through the strategic shipping route. When asked about the decision, the envoy stated that Iran considers India a close partner and that the two countries share longstanding economic and strategic ties.
Fathali said Iran would ensure safe passage for Indian ships through the strait despite the ongoing tensions in the region. He emphasised that Iran and India maintain common interests and a shared future, highlighting the importance of their bilateral relationship even during periods of geopolitical instability.
The ambassador also indicated earlier that Indian-bound vessels could be granted safe transit through the strait within a short timeframe, reinforcing Tehran’s effort to maintain cooperation with New Delhi despite the wider conflict affecting the region’s energy routes.
