US extends waiver allowing countries to buy Russian oil – as it happened

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · Apr 18, 2026 · 1919 words · By Adam Fulton; Vivian Ho; Taz Ali; Marina Dunbar; Nadeem Badshah; Robert Tait; Hannah Ellis-Petersen

Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East Global Energy Markets and Oil Prices International Diplomacy and Ceasefires

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Daily briefing

What to know about Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East

We’re wrapping up this live coverage of Middle East news for the moment but you can see our last full report here, and below is a recap of the latest developments.

Claims checked 47

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left25%

Center75%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

We’re wrapping up this live coverage of Middle East news for the moment but you can see our last full report here, and below is a recap of the latest developments.

Why it matters

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday announced the strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for all commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

Common ground

Donald Trump hailed the reopening as a “brilliant day for the world” but said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Selective Omission: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Ghalibaf said (in a translation): 4 – Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the “designated route” and with “Iranian authorization”?
How does this story connect Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East with Global Energy Markets and Oil Prices over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 60% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Selective Omission 70% confidence

Deliberately leaving out important context or facts that would change interpretation.

Why it matters: Recognizing selective omission helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 47 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 37

check_circle Corroborated 8

help Insufficient Evidence 2

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Claim 1: “Ghalibaf said (in a translation): 4 – Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the “designated route” and with “Iranian authorization”.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up as many as 1,100 points before paring its gain and ended with a jump of about 870 points, or 1.8%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.5%.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 3: “Turkish vice-president Cevdet Yılmaz called the reopening “an important step towards deescalation of tension”.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 4: “Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron said the reopening must become permanent.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was gathered from the provided sources regarding Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron stating that the reopening must become permanent.

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Claim 5: “Ghalibaf said (in a translation): 1 - The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “Britain will make “a wide-ranging military contribution” to an international mission to protect shipping in the strait of Hormuz trade waterway, the UK ambassador to the US has said.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 7: ““I’ve decided to extend the period of higher sulphur for petrol in Australia,” energy minister Chris Bowen said in televised remarks on Saturday cited by Reuters.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 8: “The S+P 500 leaped 1.2% after Iran’s move.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “Oil prices dropped back to where they were in the early days of the Iran war while US stocks raced to another record after Iran announced it was reopening the strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 10: “Minutes before Trump’s post on social media, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu uploaded a video address declaring that Israel was not done yet with Hezbollah.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 11: “Donald Trump also said there had been some positive news regarding Iran but declined to elaborate.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 12: “Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday announced the strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for all commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results report that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the Strait of Hormuz was 'completely open' for commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ceasefire. This is reported across different news sources.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the 2026 Iran war covers the period since 28 February 2026. The war is ongoing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2026_Iran_war

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting military and government sites, assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other Iranian officials, and infli…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 13: “Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev had said the first waiver would free 100m barrels of Russian crude, equal to almost a day’s worth of global output.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “The extension comes two days after Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not be renewing the waiver that allowed countries to purchase Russian oil without facing US sanctions, Reuters reports.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “The UK will make “a wide-ranging military contribution” to an international mission to protect shipping in the strait of Hormuz, the UK ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, said in Washington”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 16: “The multinational mission, led by the UK and France, aimed to provide reassurance to vessels using the critical waterway once the Iran conflict was over, Turner told an event in Washington.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “Macron, who with Starmer on Friday night was co-chairing a virtual summit of about 50 countries on reopening the strait and supporting the fragile ceasefire, said the move “goes in the right direction”.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “So far about 12 nations have committed to take part in the mission.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 19: “World leaders welcomed Iran’s announcement on the reopening, with UN chief António Guterres calling the move “a step in the right direction” and urging “the full restoration of international navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, respected by everyone.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results indicate that world leaders welcomed the announcement, and specifically mention UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling it 'a step in the right direction' and urging the restoration of navigational rights.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The announcement of a shaky two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran will, it is hoped, lead to the opening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one fifth …
https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/04/1167270

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Opening Strait of Hormuz 'a step in the right direction,' says UN secretary general Secretary general of the United Nations Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference in Beirut, Lebanon ...
https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2026/04/17/iran…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — European leaders have welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire deal while calling for the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to hostilities, including in Lebanon.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/08/european-leade…

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Claim 20: “Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said later that the Hormuz strait “will not remain open” if the US blockade continued and that Trump had made multiple false claims on Friday.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that the Strait of Hormuz 'will not remain open' if the US blockade continues, and that he accused Trump of making false claims.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 8 April 2026, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the 2026 Iran war, mediated by Pakistan. Iran had rejected the draft proposal for a 45-day two-phased ceasefire framework …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war_ceasefire

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the 2026 Iran war covers the period since 28 February 2026. The war is ongoing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2026_Iran_war

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 21: “The British prime minister and the French president on Friday co-chaired a virtual summit of about 50 countries on the issue.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was gathered from the provided sources regarding Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron co-chairing a virtual summit of about 50 countries on the issue on Friday.

check_circle

Claim 22: “Brent crude – the benchmark for oil traded globally – plunged below $90 a barrel, a 10% fall.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results report that Brent crude plunged below $90 a barrel, with specific figures cited around 10% drops.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell more than 10% to $88.8 a barrel. That is well below a peak of $119 last month, but still much higher than the $72 before the war. Oil tumbles 10% as Iran…
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/17/oil-gas-pri…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell more than 9 percent to $90.38 a barrel on Friday, taking it below $91 for the first time since March 10. Recommended Stories. list of 4 items.
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/4/18/as-oil-prices-pl…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Brent dropped below $90 a barrel after a social media post attributed to Iran’s foreign minister said the passage for commercial vessels through Hormuz was open. "The weakness in (oil) prices is stemm…
https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/u-energy-s…

schedule

Claim 23: “The initiative was announced at talks in Paris involving nearly 50 countries, which Turner said signalled global resolve to prevent tolls or restrictions being imposed on the shipping route, normally used to move one fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 24: “UN chief António Guterres called the reopening “a step in the right direction”.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 25: “The White House said midweek that the administration felt “good about the prospects of a deal”, just days after negotiations in Islamabad failed to reach a deal.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 26: “The Trump administration issued a waiver permitting countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products at sea for about a month, seeking to control soaring global energy prices.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 27: “The Lebanese army alleged “a number of violations” of the ceasefire by Israel on Friday morning, as thousands of displaced families began making their way home to southern Lebanon.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 28: “Xi Jinping 'very happy' Hormuz strait reopening, says Trump”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 29: “The UN children’s agency said it was “outraged” after two truck drivers it contracted to deliver clean water to families in Gaza were killed by Israeli fire.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 30: “The 10-day truce took effect on Thursday.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results state that a 10-day truce between Israel and Lebanon took effect on Thursday, citing statements from The State Department and BBC.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A Thursday is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language psychological thriller film written and directed by Behzad Khambata. The film stars Yami Gautam, Atul Kulkarni, Neha Dhupia, Dimple Kapadia, and Karanvir Sha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Thursday

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Thursday Murder Club is a 2025 American crime comedy film directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, based on the 2020 novel by Richard Osman. The film stars…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thursday_Murder_Club_(film…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Thursday is the day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries which adopt the "Sunday-first" convention…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thursday

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 31: “He also said Iran had agreed to never close the strait again, but that has not been verified.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results report that Donald Trump claimed Iran agreed to never close the strait again. The claim itself notes that this specific aspect was unverified.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO) is a pejorative description of the perceived tendency of United States president Donald Trump to make threats, only to later delay or renege on them as a way to incr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Always_Chickens_Out

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States began a series of negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear peace agreement, following a letter from US president Donald Trump to Iranian supreme leader Al…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_Iran–United_States_n…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 32: “Oil prices fell 9%, the AP reports.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 33: “The US Treasury department allowed purchases of the oil loaded on vessels as of Friday until 16 May, an extension of an original 30-day waiver that expired on 11 April, according to a document posted to the department’s website.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 34: “The relaxation – announced in March – increases the amount of sulphur permitted in fuel to 50 parts per million from the usual 10 parts.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 35: “Amid the Israel-Lebanon truce, Trump said the US “prohibited” Israel from bombing Lebanon.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 36: “Donald Trump hailed the reopening as a “brilliant day for the world” but said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that Donald Trump hailed the reopening and stated that the US naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 19 March 2026, the United States began an aerial campaign against Iranian targets to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following its closure by Iran in response to the attacks by the United States and Is…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_campaign

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 37: “Oil prices tumbled after Iran’s Hormuz announcement amid hopes that energy supplies could resume after nearly two months of disruption.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm that oil prices tumbled following Iran's announcement due to hopes of resuming energy supplies.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The apparent opening of the Strait of Hormuz to ship traffic brought immediate relief to a world starved of fuel, sending international oil prices tumbling 9 percent on Friday, to about $90 a barrel.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/business/energy-environme…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Oil prices dropped back to where they were in the early days of the Iran war, and U.S. stocks raced to another record Friday after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz is open again for commercial ...
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-04-17/oil-prices…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Prices dropped after Iran's foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-oil-prices-plummet-str…

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Claim 38: “The two-week US-Iran ceasefire expires on Wednesday and the two countries have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the truce.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 39: “Finnish president Alexander Stubb said: Finland stands ready to work on a solution that brings stability to the region and respects international law.””

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 40: “Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also said passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 41: “Trump said Iran’s enriched uranium would be brought to the US, also claiming the US and Tehran would work together to recover the uranium but denying reports the US was considering a $20bn cash for uranium deal.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 42: “Donald Trump has also said he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed by Wednesday.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 43: “Continuing on Australia for a moment, the government has extended an easing on fuel-quality standards until September as the country’s grapples with the impact of the Iran war on its fuel supply.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 44: “Unicef said in a statement that the incident occurred during routine water trucking on Friday morning at the Mansoura water filling point in northern Gaza, which supplies Gaza City.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 45: “A cruise ship successfully transited the strait of Hormuz on Friday, making it the first passenger vessel to make it through since the war began, according to ship tracking service MarineTraffic.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 46: “Ghalibaf, who last weekend co-led the Iranian side in negotiations with the US in Islamabad that failed to reach an agreement, continued in his posts: 3 – With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 47: “Unicef said it had suspended activities at the site and called on Israeli authorities to investigate, stressing that humanitarian workers, civilians and vital water infrastructure must be protected under international humanitarian law.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.