“The United States may allow more sanctioned Iranian oil to enter world markets even without resuming the 2015 nuclear deal,” Bloomberg reported, citing Dutch oil trading group Vitol.

Mike Muller, head of Asia for the Vitol Group, said: “Uncle Sam could have tolerated a little more of this flow; and if the need to lower gas prices in America dominates the midterm elections (to the US Senate); we might expect to see a flood of sanctioned barrels. And the United States has always been very little involved in these flows.”

“At a time when a new agreement was supposed to limit Iran’s nuclear activities and ease US sanctions on its energy exports, talks between Tehran and world powers have stalled since March. the agency reported. .

However, US President Joe Biden may decide that the need to lower record fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections outweighs the benefit of strict enforcement of sanctions, including by seizing more Iranian oil tankers.

It is worth noting that last month the United States seized oil from an Iranian-flagged ship off the coast of Greece, after which Tehran seized two Greek tankers in the Persian Gulf for several days. But, according to Mueller, this move by Washington is unlikely to signal the start of new tanker seizures by the United States.