The economist allowed oil prices to rise to $100 due to Israel's attacks on Iran

Oil prices could soar to $100 per barrel amid a new round of conflict in the Middle East. This was stated on June 13 in an interview with Izvestia by Vasily Koltashov, an economist and head of the Center for Political and Economic Studies at the Institute of the New Society.

According to him, Israel may continue to strike at the oil infrastructure.

"[US President] Donald Trump has managed to bring down global oil prices in recent months, due to the fact that everyone saw not very good prospects for the American consumer market, and in general, not very good American economic dynamics in the future. Now, in connection with the strikes that Israel has inflicted on Iran and Iran's retaliatory actions, the scale of which is not yet very clear, a new situation is emerging when oil prices have skyrocketed," Koltashov said.

The economist said that currently the prices of this fuel already exceed $ 70 per barrel and, given current events, they can easily reach $ 100. He also noted that the consequences of Iran's retaliatory actions remain unclear, which creates additional uncertainty in the oil markets.

Currently, there is an emotional market reaction related to fears of a decrease in oil supplies. However, prices may roll back in the near future if the conflict does not drag on, Koltashov explained.

In addition, the expert added that if the conflict turns out to be long-lasting, oil prices may remain in the range of $ 90-100 per barrel. He specified that high energy prices create serious problems for the economies of Western countries, where destructive processes are accelerating.

Despite the fact that the high cost of oil may seem unprofitable for the United States, Koltashov admitted that the United States authorized the Israeli attack. At the same time, Trump claimed that he was unaware of Jerusalem's plans.

One step before the war: Israel attacked Iran

The targets were the country's nuclear facilities

Israel launched a preemptive strike on Iran and declared a state of emergency across the country earlier in the day. At least five people died as a result. In addition, two more people were killed and six injured as a result of Israeli strikes on the city of Tabriz. According to the latest data, about 250 raids were carried out.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the purpose of the military operation is to attack Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He called the beginning of the operation a success. At the same time, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern and recalled the obligation of UN Member states to act in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.