Moscow sees significant rise in demand for Russian oil, gas amid Iran war

International Energy Agency warns against a politically and economically wrong return to reliance on Russian energy.Published On 6 Mar 2026The Kremlin has said the United States-Israeli war on Iran had prompted “a significant increase in demand” for Russian energy products, a day after the ⁠US Treasury issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil currently stuck at sea.The conflict, which entered its seventh day on Friday, has left the Strait ‌of Hormuz, a critical shipping passage, all but shut, with countries around the world scrambling as they are cut off from a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Oil on Fire: War impacts global energy marketslist 2 of 4Which oil and gas facilities in the Gulf have been attacked?list 3 of 4UAE oil depot fire still raging day after drone sparks blazelist 4 of 4How will the Middle East conflict affect global energy prices?end of listRussia, mired in its own war launched in Ukraine more than four years ago, may yet stealthily benefit from this new sprawling war in the Middle East.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that Russia has been and remains a reliable supplier of oil ⁠and gas, via pipelines and ⁠in liquefied form.“We are seeing a significant increase in demand for Russian energy resources in connection with the war in Iran. Russia ⁠has been and remains a reliable supplier of both oil and gas – including ⁠pipeline gas and liquefied natural ⁠gas,” Peskov told reporters.“It also remains capable of guaranteeing the continuity of all deliveries for which contracts have been concluded,” he added.Peskov declined to disclose ‌possible volumes of Russian oil supplies to India following Washington’s waiver, which followed months of US pressure and the imposition of severe tariffs on ‌the South Asian nation not to buy Russian oil.Wrong to return to reliance on RussiaAlso on Friday, ⁠International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol suggested that looking to Russia for gas supplies will be ⁠economically and politically wrong.