Iran Bypasses US Oil Blockade Amid Economic War
Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad says his country has found ways to bypass the US oil blockade, which was reimposed in mid-July after the deal to make a deal collapsed. The minister claims that the oil industry has not stopped and is pursuing various solutions to reach a day when it can completely bypass the blockade.
Paknejad noted that Iran managed to move a lot of oil out of the Persian Gulf during the brief three-week period in which the US blockade was lifted between mid-June and mid-July. However, vessel-tracking services have estimated that Iran's oil exports plummeted in August from 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) loaded in August 2025 to just 260,000 bpd in August, an 80% slump.
The US is attempting to inflict maximum economic damage on Iran with the blockade and its 'Economic D-Day' announced last week. China, Iran's top oil buyer, has signaled it would not end its ties and trade relations with Iran following the US sanctions that target Chinese and Hong Kong entities for helping Iran do business.