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

The Guardian · · 1919 words · By Adam Fulton; Vivian Ho; Taz Ali; Marina Dunbar; Nadeem Badshah; Robert Tait; Hannah Ellis-Petersen
Global Energy Markets and Oil Prices International Diplomacy and Ceasefires Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-…

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Name Calling / Labeling 60% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
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Selective Omission 70% confidence
Deliberately leaving out important context or facts that would change interpretation.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

47 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 37
check_circle Corroborated 8
help Insufficient Evidence 2
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“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
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“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
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“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.”
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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.
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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 — 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 — 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
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“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
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“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.”
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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 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
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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
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“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.””
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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.
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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
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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…
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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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“Oil prices tumbled after Iran’s Hormuz announcement amid hopes that energy supplies could resume after nearly two months of disruption.”
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Multiple web search results confirm that oil prices tumbled following Iran's announcement due to hopes of resuming energy supplies.
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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…
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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…
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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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“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.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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“Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron said the reopening must become permanent.”
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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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“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.
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“Amid the Israel-Lebanon truce, Trump said the US “prohibited” Israel from bombing Lebanon.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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”
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“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.”
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“Donald Trump also said there had been some positive news regarding Iran but declined to elaborate.”
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“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.”
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“The two-week US-Iran ceasefire expires on Wednesday and the two countries have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the truce.”
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“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.”
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“Xi Jinping 'very happy' Hormuz strait reopening, says Trump”
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“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.”
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“The S+P 500 leaped 1.2% after Iran’s move.”
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“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%.”
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“Oil prices fell 9%, the AP reports.”
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“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.”
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““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.”
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“The relaxation – announced in March – increases the amount of sulphur permitted in fuel to 50 parts per million from the usual 10 parts.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“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.”
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“So far about 12 nations have committed to take part in the mission.”
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“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”.”
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“Finnish president Alexander Stubb said: Finland stands ready to work on a solution that brings stability to the region and respects international law.””
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“Turkish vice-president Cevdet Yılmaz called the reopening “an important step towards deescalation of tension”.”
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“UN chief António Guterres called the reopening “a step in the right direction”.”
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“Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also said passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran.”
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“Ghalibaf said (in a translation): 1 - The President of the United States made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false.”
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“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.”
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“Ghalibaf said (in a translation): 4 – Passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be conducted based on the “designated route” and with “Iranian authorization”.”
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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.