Tehran, Iran – Three Iranian sources told Reuters that the US campaign to squeeze the Iranian economy, through a naval blockade on oil exports and tighter enforcement to block sanction circumvention, has grown increasingly difficult for Tehran amid diminishing market access and foreign currency shortages.
Escalating Pressure on Oil Exports
The US measures align with a campaign to curb Iran’s ability to export crude, its primary source of state revenue. Tighter controls over tanker routes and evasion networks have intensified pressure on the Iranian energy sector, making it harder to sustain previous export volumes. Reuters reported that the US naval blockade has disrupted a significant share of Iranian oil shipments while Tehran faces mounting hurdles in accessing global markets.
Eroding Evasion Capabilities
According to the Iranian sources, Washington’s crackdown on sanctions-evasion networks has made bypassing restrictions considerably harder, disrupting indirect channels Tehran relied on for years to maintain trade. Concurrently, US actions targeting entities involved in Iranian oil trades have pushed up shipping costs and limited options for firms and tankers handling Iranian crude.
Economic Crisis Squeezes Tehran
Iran faces compound economic pressure, marked by declining foreign currency inflows and soaring trade costs, as import and export flows contend with added constraints from sanctions and the naval blockade. Developments suggest Washington is leveraging economic pressure to extract concessions, while Iranian leadership attempts to maintain resilience by exporting available crude through remaining channels amid sustained bilateral tensions.
