The United States has issued a 30-day waiver for countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea, without any repercussions of US tariffs, as part of the latest attempt by the Trump administration to calm energy markets jolted by the Iran war.

Oil prices eased in Asia on Friday morning following the announcement.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure was “narrowly tailored” and “short-term” and would not significantly benefit the Russian government.

“The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long-term,” he said.

The licence covers Russian crude loaded on vessels as of 12 March and is valid through 11 April. The US had previously issued a similar 30-day waiver specifically for India, which had been buying Russian oil after its supplies from the Gulf got stuck.

The IEA said on Thursday the Iran war was creating the biggest oil supply disruption in history. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that now was not the time to relax sanctions on Russia.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has said, “There has never in history been a more total asymmetric one-sided annihilation of the enemy than what is unfolding right now in Iran”.

“The United States, under President Trump’s leadership, has annihilated their Navy, has annihilated their missile capabilities, has dealt devastating strikes to the IRGC and their command structure, has taken out in collaboration and coordination with Israel, their nation’s sinister leadership and command structure”, Miller told Fox News early Friday morning.

US Representative Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, told CNN Thursday Americans “can live with” higher gas prices amid the Iran war.

“I think the American people have common sense, and I think they understand that to stop this regime that for 47 years has killed Americans, killed Israelis, killed others and killed a number of their own people — to stop them from getting a nuclear weapon is a worthwhile objective,” Jordan told CNN host Kasie Hunt.

“And, President Trump is committed to achieving that goal, and if that means prices go up for a short time, I think Americans understand, we can live with that. But in the end, we want all that to happen, and we want it all to happen in as quick a time as it possibly can”, the congressman added.

Oil jumped to $100 per barrel Thursday as Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil.

The Israel Defence Forces has posted to social media what they called an “aesthetic” video of troops in Lebanon.

Israel has hit Lebanon hard during its fight against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah as part of the wider Iran war.

The Associated Press reports that more than 800,000 people have been displaced in the conflict.

Israel has joined the US in sharing light-hearted videos online about the deadly war.

The US Treasury Department announced late Thursday night that it is temporarily allowing countries to buy Russian oil “currently stranded at sea.”

“This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on X.

The decision comes as oil jumped to $100 per barrel Thursday amid the Iran war. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to attack any ship that passes through the waterway vital to the global oil supply.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced early Friday morning the death of a French soldier in Iraq.

“Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces died for France during an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq”, Macron wrote on X. “To his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the Nation”.

France’s army said Thursday six French soldiers were wounded in a drone attack in the Erbil region during a counter-terrorism training.

“This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh since 2015 is unacceptable”, Macron said, using another name for ISIS. “Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks”.

Five crew members were aboard a US refueling plane lost in what the military called “friendly airspace,” the Associated Press has reported, citing a US official.

The KC-135 plane “went down in western Iraq”, US Central Command said earlier.

“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the military added.

Operation Epic Fury is the name of the US military campaign against Iran.

Saudi Arabia has struck down nearly 30 drones, the country’s defence ministry announced late Thursday night.

US President Donald Trump has said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is “probably” alive but “damaged.”

When Trump was asked on Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade’s radio show if he thinks Khamenei is alive, the president said, “I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form”.

Iranian state TV aired a statement they claimed was from Khamenei, who took over after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in the U.S.-Israeli military strikes.

“I assure everyone that we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs,” the statement said.

Khamenei has not appeared in public since the Iran war started nearly two weeks ago.