Washington Confirms "Zero" Iranian Oil Exports as Tehran Admits Negative Impact of Sanctions

Washington, Agencies: The Iranian government has affirmed its resilience in the face of economic sanctions and external pressure by adopting new policies, while the White House stated that Tehran has not exported any oil since the resumption of the blockade last July. In a statement, the Iranian government reiterated its steadfastness against what it described as “unjust sanctions,” emphasizing that the paths of diplomacy and defense are integrated and inseparable to safeguard national interests, security, and the state’s existence.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the negative impacts of U.S. sanctions on his country’s economy, affirming that Tehran does not desire war but stands firmly against aggression and defends itself, according to his remarks. In an interview with state television on Friday evening, Pezeshkian said, “Some claim that sanctions have no effect at all; I don’t really know how to respond to those people,” adding, “We are at war, and we must accept the conditions imposed by war.” He clarified that Iran seeks to resolve its issues through dialogue but “will not surrender to threats and aggression,” noting that it is in the interest of his country, the region, and the world “that U.S. President Donald Trump does not stir up chaos and that Israel does not cause insecurity.”

These comments follow another statement by Pezeshkian a few days earlier, in which he asserted that U.S. sanctions “will achieve nothing” and that his country stands firm against pressure.

Amid the tightening of the U.S. economic blockade on Tehran, the Fars News Agency quoted sources in Iran’s Ministry of Oil as saying that Tehran has enough oil to sell to cover its budget for the current year. However, the U.S. narrative contradicts this Iranian assertion. The White House announced that Iran has not exported any oil from its shores since the blockade resumed last July. The U.S. Central Command also declared that it diverted the course of 82 ships, disabled three ships, and boarded two ships as part of operations aimed at ensuring compliance with the sanctions on Iran.

Regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the White House stated that approximately 1,500 ships carrying 750 million barrels of oil passed through the strait under U.S. protection. The White House also confirmed that Iranian mines had been removed from international navigation channels in the Strait of Hormuz. White House advisor Stephen Miller stated that the Strait of Hormuz is now open to the United States and closed to Iran.

In a related development, the U.S. Department of the Treasury expanded sanctions on Iran as part of an “economic exclusion operation,” targeting routes it claimed Tehran uses to access the U.S. dollar and the global financial system. The Treasury proposed barring “Bank Misr” in the United Arab Emirates from maintaining correspondent accounts with U.S. financial institutions. The U.S. sanctions also targeted Reza Mohammad, the general manager of the Iranian Bank Melli branch in Dubai, accusing him of facilitating financial activities on behalf of the Iranian Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Additionally, a Hong Kong-based company was added to the sanctions list, allegedly for helping sanctioned Iranian individuals and entities access the international financial system.

These latest sanctions came days after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to impose further sanctions amid the ongoing conflict. A U.S. Treasury official explained that Washington intended through these sanctions to send a message to countries around the world, particularly the G20, regarding the necessity of full compliance with the imposed sanctions.