Iran says oil output uninterrupted as tankers crush US blockade, Tehran eyes new revenue from Hormuz

Iran says its oil production and exports continued without disruption during the 40 days of the US-Israeli aggression, while officials explore new revenue streams tied to tighter control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s oil minister said the country maintained steady crude production throughout the recent 40‑day war, which began on February 28, even as some energy facilities came under attack and tensions escalated around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad said the sector continued operating despite the war. “During the 40 days of war, we practically had no reduction in crude oil production and our exports continued properly and there was no problem in this regard,” he said.

Paknejad praised workers across the industry, calling their performance “very brilliant” during the period.

He acknowledged that several facilities sustained damage from strikes by the American‑Zionist enemy, but said repair work was launched immediately.

According to the minister, reconstruction is progressing quickly so that the affected infrastructure can return to service on schedule and ensure the continuation of energy supplies.

The comments come amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which a significant share of the world’s energy trade passes.

Iran shut down the strait to its enemies and their allies after the unprovoked US‑Israeli aggression. Iranian authorities began enforcing much stricter controls last month following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting Iranian vessels and ports.

Tehran says the measures violate the terms of a Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire that took effect on April 8 and was later extended unilaterally by Washington.

Despite the blockade, shipping activity linked to Iranian crude appears to be continuing.

Tanker tracking service TankerTrackers reported on Friday that three cargo‑empty tankers belonging to the National Iranian Tanker Company had crossed the US Navy blockade line after returning to Iran through Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Combined, the vessels have the capacity to transport roughly five million barrels of Iranian crude oil, it added.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials are examining ways to generate new income from the strategic waterway.

According to Ali Khezrian, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, the economy minister recently briefed the cabinet on projected revenue streams from managing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

The report examined the economic potential of the corridor, one of the region’s most important geopolitical and commercial chokepoints.

Although no formal details have been released, domestic speculation has focused on possible earnings from transit fees, maritime services and traffic management.

Analysts cited by Iranian media say that, with new legal and operational mechanisms, Tehran could convert part of the strait’s economic capacity into stable foreign‑currency income.

Iran maintains that the waterway will remain closed to its adversaries as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports continues, describing the restrictions as maritime piracy and a war crime.

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