India Begins Buying Iranian LPG Again
India has purchased its first cargo of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas in years after the United States temporarily lifted sanctions on Tehran’s oil and refined fuel exports.
Trade
Iran War Gives Russia Trade Leverage with Critical Fertilizer Market
Russia is reaping a financial windfall from the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, as supply disruptions in the Middle East drive up global fertilizer prices and sharpen debate in Europe over whether to ease curbs on Russian exports.
How an Irish Alumina Refinery Strengthens Russia’s Arsenal
An Irish alumina refinery owned by Russian metals group Rusal is part of a supply chain that appears to end with Russian arms manufacturers involved in the war in Ukraine, according to new reporting by The Guardian that cites leaked records and public trade data.
South Africa’s ‘Rhino Baron’ Accused of Running Massive Horn-Trafficking Ring
South African authorities have accused captive rhino breeder John Hume of leading one of the largest rhino-horn trafficking syndicates on record and using domestic reporting requirement to conceal his illicit activity.
U.S. Mulls Lifting Some Iran Sanctions to Mitigate Oil-Price Surge
The United States may remove sanctions in the coming days on about 140 million barrels of Iranian oil stranded aboard tankers at sea, according to The Guardian, which cited recent comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Belarusian Fertilizer Companies and Bank
The United States has lifted sanctions on three Belarusian fertilizer companies and the country’s state investment bank in exchange for Belarus freeing 250 political prisoners, a move made as the war in Iran continues to drive fertilizer prices higher.
Russia’s Shadow-Fleet Broker is Banking on Sanctions Lift and Oil Demand
A trader identified by The Wall Street Journal as a central figure in Russia’s shadow fleet has revived his oil business after the Iran war disrupted supplies from the Persian Gulf and boosted demand for Russian crude that had been stranded at sea.
U.S. Lifts Major Restrictions on Venezuela’s PDVSA
The United States on Wednesday issued a general license broadly authorizing U.S. companies to do business with Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA, a move that could unlock new investment and eventually increase the country’s crude production capacity.
UK’s Top-Paid Oil Exec Faces Global Asset Freeze Over Siphoned Iran Funds
North Sea oil executive Francesco Mazzagatti could soon be the subject of a worldwide asset freeze stemming from a London lawsuit alleging he siphoned funds from former business partners tied to an Iranian petrochemicals business.
For Iran, Oil Sales Continue Despite Sanctions and War
Illicit Iranian oil shipments continue to move through Asian waters toward China, generating a critical revenue stream for Tehran and helping Beijing build large crude stockpiles despite sanctions and heightened regional conflict.