Iranian ports active, US blockade failing, says shipping syndicate chief

The Secretary of the Iranian Association of Shipping Companies and Related Services says the US blockade on the country’s maritime trade is barely working, adding that all ports along Iran's southern coast are actively providing loading and unloading services to various ships.

Masoud Palmeh said on Sunday that Iranian port activities have continued through cooperation between the private sector and the government, and no operations have come to a halt since Washington announced its so-called blockade on Iran.

“All vessel entry and exit operations, as well as the unloading and loading of goods, are being carried out in our country’s ports, and under no circumstances have our ports been closed,” Palmeh said.

He said that the US blockade had even failed to choke Iranian trade activities in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, saying the siege has mostly served as an act of psychological warfare.

“From an operational viewpoint … obstructions have been created for the passage of some vessels, but in this area, we have the capability to navigate through this process, and several vessels enter and exit our territorial waters every day,” said the businessman.

Palmeh said that Iran has thousands of kilometers of land and sea borders that directly link the country to 12 neighbors, enabling it to circumvent the US blockade.

He said that Iran has switched to other maritime and overland routes to maintain the volume of its trade activities, especially by increasing exchanges with countries like Russia and China that are considered key Iranian economic partners.

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