The blockade of Iranian ports by the US military has lasted for more than two weeks, and shipping data shows that the American naval blockade has significantly reduced Iran’s oil exports. US Treasury Secretary Benson stated on Thursday (April 30) that Iran’s currency has plummeted, and the oil industry in Iran is facing difficulties under American pressure, with the “chaotic” Iranian regime unable to secure a better future for the Iranian people.
According to Benson, the Iranian people deserve to usher in a “new era” free from the “corrupt and chaotic” rule of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He pointed out that Iran’s currency has plummeted and the oil industry is struggling under pressure from the United States.
In a post on X platform, Benson wrote: “Under the impact of ‘economic wrath’, the Iranian currency has hit a historic low.” He referred to the recent frequent actions taken by the US Treasury in the economic field to pressure Iran, including sanctions on Chinese teapot refineries and warnings of secondary sanctions on banks.
He added: “The Iranian people deserve to welcome a new era, while the corrupt and chaotic Iranian regime cannot provide such a future.”
Benson said, “With the shutdown of the oil industry and the currency collapse, the Iranian regime should have long ago recognized that the Iranian people deserve a better future than what the current regime can provide.”
According to Reuters on Thursday, the oil analysis company Vortexa stated that between April 13 and 25, only a few ships carrying Iranian crude oil left the Gulf of Oman. Data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) showed that this figure dropped by more than 80% compared to the same period in March when Iran’s oil exports were 23.4 million barrels.
Some Iranian ships were intercepted by the US military after leaving Iranian ports, including sanctioned container ships in Asian waters and Iranian tankers.
“We estimate that about 4 million barrels of Iranian crude oil have successfully been shipped out of the Gulf of Oman. Currently, we cannot confirm if any of these ships have been intercepted,” the company said in an email to Reuters.
Analysts at Kpler stated that since the blockade began, they have not observed any Iranian oil tankers leaving the Gulf of Oman.
US authorities stated on Wednesday that the US military blockade prevented the Iranian authorities from obtaining much-needed revenue from oil exports.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) also stated on Wednesday that over the past two weeks, the US military has successfully implemented the blockade, cutting off Iran’s trade routes. Currently, there are 41 oil tankers carrying a total of 69 million barrels of oil; the Iranian regime cannot sell this oil, resulting in a loss of over $6 billion, proving the effectiveness of the blockade.
On Thursday, CENTCOM updated the data, saying that a total of 44 ships had turned back under US military instructions.
The Iranian rial hit a historic low against the US dollar on Wednesday, highlighting the financial difficulties faced by Iran’s oil-dependent economy.
Kpler analyst Johannes Rauball stated that due to insufficient storage capacity, Iran may be forced to reduce production within the next week or two.