Iran’s National Petrochemical Company has announced a blanket ban on the export of “all petrochemical products” until further notice. The stated aim of the decision is to “stabilize the domestic market and prevent shortages of feedstock and raw materials.” During the recent 39-day war, Israel carried out extensive strikes on Iran’s petrochemical facilities, particularly in […]
Israel’s recent strikes on Iran’s southern petrochemical infrastructure have raised concerns over potential disruptions to one of the country’s key sources of export revenue, underscoring the strategic vulnerability of its energy sector. In recent days, Israel hastargeted at least eight large petrochemical facilities in Mahshahr, a major industrial zone in Khuzestan province, before extending its attacks
Iran’s Petrochemical Sector Faces Fresh Strain After Israeli Strikes Read More »
Strikes on two of Iran’s largest steel facilities threaten to erase at least $6 billion in annual export revenues and flip the country from a net exporter to a net importer of the metal for the first time in years. Khuzestan Steel Company has halted operations following Friday’s attacks by the United States and Israel,
Strikes on Iran’s biggest steel producers Read More »
The war pitting the United States and Israel against Iran is being fought across airspace and shipping lanes, but one of its most consequential economic effects may be unfolding elsewhere: the fragile commercial relationship between Tehran and the United Arab Emirates. A series of recent economic measures taken by the UAE following Iranian attacks on
War tests Iran’s Dubai trade lifeline Read More »
India, one of Iran’s key trading partners and the country tasked with developing a strategic Chabahar port for the Islamic Republic, has seized three tankers carrying smuggled Iranian oil in waters near its coast. Despite the Indian Coast Guard’s announcement of the seizures, the Iranian government has so far remained silent—underscoring the risks Tehran faces from escalating tensions with
Why Is India Tightening the Screws on Iran Now? Read More »
Capital flight from Iran is accelerating just as oil revenues decline, according to new data from the Central Bank of Iran—a convergence that helps explain the sharp fall of the national currency in recent months. Central bank (CBI) figures show that, even before accounting for sanctions-evasion costs or discounts offered to Chinese buyers, the nominal
Money is leaving Iran faster as oil income falls and uncertainty mounts Read More »
Iranians face deepening and severe financial crises, a reality that has fueled nationwide protests and to which the Islamic Republic’s security forces have responded with bloody repression, killing up to 20,000 civilians. Against this backdrop, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated on January 17, 2026, in remarks that reflect a misunderstanding of economic fundamentals, that “government
Why Iran’s Economy Is Irreparable Under the Islamic Republic Read More »
A 25 percent tariff on US imports from any country that trades with Iran appears aimed at punishing third countries, but it is likely to hit Tehran far harder. The proposed secondary tariffs were announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week in response to a violent crackdown on protesters in Iran. Some commentators have
How Trump’s secondary tariffs could hurt Tehran Read More »
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has dismissed the latest protests as the work of ‘vandals’ seeking to ‘please the U.S. president’. He insists the Islamic Republic ‘will not back down’. While unconfirmed reports suggest he may have a contingency plan to flee should security forces falter, a more firmly documented exodus is already underway —
Iran: The $145 Billion Exit Wound Read More »
Venezuela’s multibillion-dollar debts to Iran have fallen into uncertainty following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro—an ally of the Islamic Republic—by the United States. Some former Iranian officials and members of parliament have cited debts of between $2 billion and $4 billion that Venezuela owed to Iran. The likely default by Venezuela comes after the December 2024 collapse
Its Allies’ Falls Continue the Destruction of Iran’s Financial Capital Read More »
