Russia's face, Iran, and the United States all have to accommodate! On April 28, according to foreign media reports, while both the U.S. and Iran were blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a Russian super-yacht passed through the strait safely and unharmed. Foreign media reported that the Russian yacht which had just passed through the Strait of Hormuz is named "Nord," valued at $500 million, measuring 465 feet in length, and owned by Aleksey Mordashov.
Foreign media noted that this Russian billionaire, who is under Western sanctions, enjoys close ties with Putin and has an individual net worth as high as $37 billion. As the world watches anxiously over the potential crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, which could severely impact the global economy, Iran’s core ally now calmly sails through the strait in a luxurious super-yacht—clearly demonstrating the tightness of the Russia-Iran alliance. It’s not surprising that Iran allowed the Russian yacht to pass. The key issue lies in the fact that despite being on the sanctions list, the U.S. chose to pretend it didn’t see the yacht and also let it pass.
Why did the U.S. pretend not to see it? Ultimately, the reason comes down to one point: if the U.S. intercepts and seizes the vessel, Russia will certainly retaliate. The owner of this yacht, Mordashov, is a core oligarch within Putin’s inner circle. If the U.S. takes action, it would only place itself directly at odds with Russia. Should Russia become enraged, and begin supplying weapons to Iran, the U.S.’s troubles would only grow larger, not smaller. From the U.S. perspective, the yacht is neither a military target nor an oil tanker, and intercepting it holds little strategic significance. Therefore, turning a blind eye—choosing to look the other way—is clearly the wiser course of action.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863692052463690/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.