LAVROV, RUBIO DISCUSSED INTERNATIONAL AGENDA, RUSSIA-U.S. RELATIONS , SCHEDULE OF BILATERAL CONTACTS - RIA

Iraq is offering steep discounts of up to $33.40 a barrel for Basrah Medium crude, but shipments require transit through the largely impassable Strait of Hormuz amid renewed US-Iran tensions. Exports have slumped as tankers struggle to access the Persian Gulf, with April loadings falling sharply. Iraq has cut output as storage filled, while pipeline exports via Turkey continue at limited levels.

U.S. SECRETARY BESSENT: ‘HELP IS ON THE WAY’ ON GAS PRICES