MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. Risks to Russian hydrocarbon exports related to the conflict in the Middle East can be assessed as low, and the logistics of petroleum product supplies to the region do not depend on the shipping regime in the Strait of Hormuz, experts interviewed by TASS believe.

"Russian oil and gas are not supplied through the Strait of Hormuz. A number of Russian companies are involved in upstream projects in Middle Eastern countries (Iraq), but that oil is formally not Russian," partner at Kept and head of the oil and gas services practice Maxim Malkov said.

Sergey Kaufman, analyst at Finam Financial Group, also noted that from a logistics standpoint, the only minor risk for Russia could be a possible escalation of Houthi activity in the Red Sea. At the same time, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are buyers of Russian petroleum products, some of which pass through the strait, Kaufman added. "However, they can also be supplied without passing through the Strait of Hormuz. For example, Saudi Arabia can use the port of Jeddah, and the UAE - the port of Fujairah," he said.

Malkov, in turn, noted that in the short term — over several days or weeks — rising global oil prices amid the conflict could bring additional revenues to Russian oil and gas exporters and reduce discounts on Russian crude oil. "However, this applies only to spot or short-term supplies — long-term contracts react weakly to sharp but short-lived price spikes. In the longer term, the situation will depend on how long the current developments last and how they conclude," he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key oil and gas export route connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and further with the Indian Ocean, through which more than 20% of global oil and LNG supplies pass. The Financial Times previously reported that the flow of large vessels through the Strait of Hormuz had virtually dried up. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier stated that the Islamic Republic does not currently intend to close the Strait of Hormuz or obstruct shipping in the area despite the military escalation.

The United States and Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. At the same time, US leadership openly called on the Iranian population to rise up against their government and seize power.

As a result of the strikes, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other senior figures in the leadership of the Islamic Republic were killed.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia were also hit.