Source The Hindu
TEHRAN/NEW DELHI — In a stinging critique of shifting American foreign policy, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of “begging” India to purchase Russian crude oil just months after allegedly “bullying” New Delhi into halting those very imports.
The remarks follow a decision by the U.S. Treasury Department to issue a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to process Russian oil currently stranded at sea. The move is widely seen as an emergency measure to stabilize global energy markets, which have been roiled by the escalating conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
“From Bullying to Begging”
Taking to social media platform X, Araghchi highlighted what he described as a “pathetic” reversal in Washington’s strategy. He noted that the U.S. had spent the better part of the last year pressuring India to diversify away from Moscow’s energy to isolate Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
“The U.S. spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia,” Araghchi wrote. “After two weeks of war with Iran, the White House is now begging the world—including India—to buy Russian crude. Europe thought backing an illegal war on Iran would win U.S. support against Russia. Pathetic.”
The Iranian minister’s comments come amid a spike in Brent crude prices, which recently surged toward $100 a barrel following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply.
The 30-Day Lifeline
The U.S. Treasury’s waiver, announced by Secretary Scott Bessent, is specifically tailored to “oil already in transit” or “stranded at sea” as of early March 2026. U.S. officials defended the move as a pragmatic necessity to prevent a global energy “hostage situation” created by the Middle East crisis.
While the U.S. previously imposed punitive tariffs on Indian goods to discourage the purchase of sanctioned Russian oil, the new authorization signals a temporary truce. Washington’s priority has shifted from depleting the Kremlin’s coffers to preventing a domestic fuel price crisis that could cripple the global economy.
India’s Strategic Autonomy
Despite the waiver, New Delhi has maintained its stance of “strategic autonomy.” The Indian government’s Press Information Bureau responded by stating that India “never depended on permission” from any country to secure its energy needs.
Industry analysts note that while the U.S. characterizes the waiver as a “permission slip,” India sees it as a belated American acknowledgment of the realities of global supply chains.
