US economist says Washington's tariffs primarily benefit Russia

WASHINGTON, United States — American economist Muhsin Bacenid has warned that Washington's tariff-based trade war policy poses the greatest risk to global trade and will ultimately damage US consumers and the domestic economy. In a special statement, Bacenid said the first rule of economics is to avoid trade wars through tariffs, and described US policies toward Canada and Mexico as failed initiatives. He argued that the tariff decisions will fuel inflation and trigger trade wars in which all sides lose, with the consequences becoming clear in the upcoming US midterm elections. On recent sanctions targeting Tehran, Bacenid noted that Iran has faced US pressure for 40 years and that the Iranian currency has lost significant value during that period. Bacenid also said sanctions are weakening the dollar's global use, noting that US debt has reached a record $4 trillion and that some countries are turning to the yuan and euro. He added that Turkey would be the country most affected by these economic moves, while China, with its large reserves, would remain insulated from pressure. According to Bacenid, Trump's policies will make Russia the biggest beneficiary through higher oil prices and increased Russian exports.