Iran says it is seeking ways to circumvent the US oil blockade
Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said that the country is using various approaches to circumvent the US oil blockade, which, according to him, President Donald Trump reinstated in mid-July. OilPrice reports.
According to Paknejad, Iran’s oil industry has not stopped operating. He also said that the authorities and the industry are seeking solutions that should eventually make it possible to fully circumvent the blockade.
Export data
The minister claims that Iran was able to ship significant volumes of oil from the Persian Gulf during the three-week period between mid-June and mid-July, when the blockade was lifted. Tehran also says it intends to increase oil and associated gas production despite the war and US strikes.
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Vessel-tracking services estimate that Iranian oil exports fell significantly in August after the blockade was reinstated. According to Kpler data cited by CNBC, Iranian ports loaded about 260,000 barrels per day for export in August. This is 80% lower than the 1.7 million barrels per day loaded in August 2025, and more than twice lower than approximately 740,000 barrels per day in July 2026.
Trackers’ assessments and China’s position
Kpler, Vortexa and TankerTrackers.com believe that the reinstated blockade has significantly constrained Iran’s oil exports and oil revenues. At the same time, TankerTrackers.com provided a separate estimate: according to its calculations, Iran’s exports in August 2026 fell by 100% compared with the January–February 2026 level, which the service described as the pre-war baseline.
The United States is seeking to inflict maximum economic damage on Iran through the blockade and the Economic D-Day initiative announced last week, OilPrice writes. China, which the publication calls the main and almost sole buyer of Iranian oil, made it clear that it would not stop its ties and trade with Iran after US sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong entities. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that Beijing would do everything necessary to protect its rights and interests.
