Iran's President Calls US Naval Blockade ‘Intolerable’ as Oil Exports Plunge by 80%

30/04/2026

TEHRAN, Apr 30: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned the ongoing US naval blockade, describing it as “intolerable” and an extension of military pressure on the country. In a statement, he accused Washington of targeting Iran under the pretext of enforcement actions, saying the measures punish a nation “for its resistance and independence.”

The criticism comes as Iranian oil exports have sharply declined amid tightening restrictions. According to data cited by Reuters from analytics firm Vortexa, crude shipments from the Gulf of Oman dropped to around four million barrels between April 13 and April 25—an over 80% fall compared to 23.4 million barrels exported during a similar period in March.

The report noted that only a limited number of tankers managed to leave Iranian waters, with some vessels switching off tracking systems while others were reportedly turned back by US forces. Analysts say the blockade has made it increasingly difficult to assess the true scale of Iran’s oil exports, particularly shipments destined for key buyers such as China.