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WE HAVE known for months of President Joe Biden’s willingness to resume the nuclear deal with Iran. These efforts, which date back to the Obama era and were dismantled by former President Donald Trump, open the door for the ayatollahs’ theocracy to grow massively stronger.
However, we now learn from a senior executive of Vitol, the largest independent crude oil trader, that Biden may allow Iran to sell its oil on the international market without something in return. Specifically, Mike Muller, Vitol’s head of Asia, said in a podcast that “Uncle Sam could allow that oil to flow.”
“If midterms are dominated on the need to lower U.S. gasoline prices, turning a blind eye to sanctioned barrels flowing in the international market would probably be something we would see,” Muller said.
Muller’s words are not to be taken lightly. In fact, in February of this year Biden announced waivers to the sanctions already in place with Iran, with the purpose of making it more comfortable for the theocratic regime to sit down and negotiate with the United States.
All these efforts only bring legitimacy to Iran, and it is not a regime to be underestimated. Iran is a medium-sized power in the Middle East, with a view to becoming the decisive great power in the region. And its primary motivation is the ideological and religious fight against Israel, a nation it aspires to destroy. In that cause, Iran has funded terrorist groups throughout the Middle East and the world.
From the Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah, Hamas and Al Qaeda to other militias and political-terrorist organizations throughout the world have received support from Iran’s supreme leader. Right now, the greatest threat to the survival of Israel — a key ally of Washington and a bulwark against Arab extremism — comes from Tehran.
The easing of sanctions, dialogue meetings or the naivety of believing that Iran will respect eventual nuclear agreements are only impulses that end up strengthening the terrorist power of the theocratic regime. The White House understands this very well and, despite the claims of sectors of Israeli society and political figures such as Netanyahu, insists on continuing its flirtation with Ali Khamenei and his president, the radical Ebrahim Raisi.
Orlando Avendaño is the co-editor-in-chief of El American. He is a Venezuelan journalist and has studies in the History of Venezuela. He is the author of the book Days of submission // Orlando Avendaño es el co-editor en Jefe de El American. Es periodista venezolano y cuenta con estudios en Historia de Venezuela. Es autor del libro Días de sumisión.