Iran's Oil Chokehold: The Cost of the Blockade
May 2, 2026
$4.8B
ESTIMATED REVENUE LOST
Pentagon estimate since blockade began
~21%
GLOBAL OIL THROUGH HORMUZ
of all petroleum liquids daily
$35–50B
IRAN PRE-WAR OIL REVENUE
estimated annual export earnings
OFAC Warning
SHIPPING FIRMS AT RISK
sanctions exposure for paying Iranian tolls
400+
Shadow fleet vessels
2.5M
Peak exports (bpd)
~0.4M
Est. current exports (bpd)
Iran's oil export revenue trajectory 2012–2025, showing the compounding impact of sanctions waves and the current naval blockade shock. Dashed purple line shows oil's share of government budget (scaled). Source: EIA, IMF.
Pre-JCPOA Sanctions
JCPOA Relief
Maximum Pressure
Naval Blockade
Oil budget share (scaled)
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources:U.S. Energy Information AdministrationPentagon / DoDU.S. State Department / OFACIMF World Economic Outlook
Data sources
Strait of Hormuz Oil Flow — World Oil Transit Chokepoints· U.S. Energy Information AdministrationIran Oil Export Revenue Estimates· U.S. Energy Information Administration — Country Analysis: IranIMF World Economic Outlook Database — Iran GDP & Revenue Data· International Monetary FundIran Sanctions Program — OFAC· U.S. Department of the Treasury / OFACJCPOA — Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Full Text· U.S. State Department ArchiveIran Shadow Fleet Tracking· Windward / Reuters Investigations