Why Vladimir Putin may be the big winner in Trump's Iran war

If it’s a matter of several weeks, the effect might be minimal, but if the conflict drags on for months, there could be a much more significant infusion for the Russian economy, said Petras Katinas, a research fellow in climate, energy and defense at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank. The discount that Russia trades its oil at to compensate for the risk of running afoul of U.S. sanctions has been shrinking since the crisis in Iran started, Katinas said in a telephone interview Monday. “So the longer the prices last, the more Russia will be capable of selling its crude oil in the global market with a lower discount,” he added.