Washington imposes a blockade on ships coming to or from Iranian ports.
- By choosing to economically strangle Iran, already weakened after the bombings, the American administration is trying to bend the regime.
- The damage caused by American and Israeli strikes will take years to repair and are putting pressure on Tehran, seeking financial aid to compensate for the losses.
Will Iran and the United States find common ground diplomatically? Washington and Tehran are far from it, but Americans have announced discussions for a second negotiation session with Tehran. “We are optimistic about the prospect of an agreement,” said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday. Pakistan continues its mediation efforts after a first round of talks in Islamabad that ended without an agreement. Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday in Iran.
The Iranians seem more willing than before to find a way out. Are they doing so under pressure? Their economy is certainly hard hit by the war. While some economic and social issues predate the recent war, some of them are worsening. The situation is not expected to improve. Since Monday, Washington has imposed a blockade on ships coming to or from Iranian ports, while Tehran continues to close the Strait of Hormuz. According to Washington, “90%” of the Iranian economy depends on maritime trade. Americans warned on Thursday, April 16 that they will maintain their blockade of Iranian ports “as long as necessary,” said US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth.
Donald Trump “hits where it hurts”
“The blockade of Iranian ports by the United States is another blow to the Iranian economy and poses a concern about foreign currency inflows. Donald Trump hits where it hurts,” said TF1info economist and Bersingéco founder Sylvain Bersinger.
The American blockade of Iranian ports will impact the country’s budget. It will cost Iran approximately $435 million per day, including $276 million in export losses, mainly in crude oil and petrochemical products, according to Miad Maleki, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
