Oil under pressure: The other battlefield between Iran and the US

Three issues officially lie at the heart of the standoff between Tehran and Washington: the nuclear file, Iran’s ballistic missile program, and its network of regional militias. Yet an unspoken factor looms over the confrontation between the two countries: hydrocarbons.Anticipating a potential U.S. military operation against Iran, crude futures rose to nearly $72 per barrel on Friday, Feb. 20, their highest level since last July following the 12-day war launched by Israel. While the U.S. would not necessarily object to targeting a key source of revenue for the Iranian government, it remains crucial for the Trump administration to preserve market stability, particularly in the event of conflict, as it seeks to curb inflation ahead of midterm elections in November that are expected to be politically challenging. In detail What could a US...