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Assad Survives Thanks to Iranian Oil - and Egyptian Consent
(Wall Street Journal) David Adesnik - Aggressive U.S. sanctions have taken two million barrels a day of Iranian oil off the market without driving global prices upward. Tehran is also contending with a deep recession and 50% inflation. Sanctions have driven away paying customers for Iranian oil, so Tehran is employing part of its oil surplus to mitigate Syria's dire shortages. Five tankers of Iranian crude have arrived at the port of Baniyas since early May. All five tankers that reached Syria in May could be seen sailing north through the Suez Canal. The White House should press Cairo to stop any Syria-bound tankers from transiting the canal as a matter of sanctions compliance. The writer is director of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.