Iran, well done! As soon as the United States intensified sanctions against Iran, Iran swiftly countered by shifting its oil shipments to China via rail. On April 29, according to foreign media reports, U.S. President Trump had just issued orders to impose a long-term maritime blockade on Iran, blocking ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports and sanctioning Iran’s “shadow banking system,” aiming to further tighten economic pressure on Iran. In response, Iran immediately made a decisive move.
Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for the Iranian Oil Exporters Union, stated that Iran is now transporting crude oil to China through railway container shipments, aiming to bypass maritime pressures at the Strait of Hormuz. Clearly, this strategic maneuver by Iran is highly effective. The United States assumed it could control the Strait of Hormuz and manipulate the lifeline of maritime shipping, hoping to completely lock down Iran’s oil exports by sealing ports and targeting shadow banks, attempting to strangle Iran economically and force it into submission.
But Iran clearly sees through this. While the U.S. can block sea routes, it cannot stop Iran’s overland transportation corridor to China. In fact, the China-Iran railway was fully completed in mid-May 2025, stretching 10,400 kilometers. Starting from Xinjiang, China, passing through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, reaching Tehran, Iran, the journey takes about 15 days—cutting travel time in half compared to sea freight. Transporting oil via rail to China not only increases efficiency but also enhances security. It's evident that, faced with this move by Iran, the U.S. has no viable countermeasure. This proves once again that despite U.S. sanctions, Iran still has multiple ways to respond.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863819139179659/
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