Iran exported more than 2.2 million barrels of crude oil per day in October, marking its highest level since 2018 when US President Donald Trump launched his so-called maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, data from shipping trackers show.
Data released on Monday by the US-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) shows that Tehran shipped 6.86 billion barrels of oil in October — nearly 2.2 million barrels per day — valued at about 4.4 billion dollars.
According to the tracker, roughly 90 percent of Iran’s exports were destined for China.
Separately, TankerTrackers reported on Sunday that Iran’s oil exports reached a record 2.3 million barrels per day in October, the highest level in seven years for the sanctions-hit theocracy.
UANI said most shipments pass through Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf on reflagged or ghost tankers operating without transponders. The group said the trade is sustaining Iran’s military industries and regional proxies.
The US Treasury announced new sanctions last month on China-based buyers and refineries accused of processing sanctioned crude, but enforcement remains inconsistent.
Sanctions experts say the dynamic reflects a broader reality in which restrictions squeeze ordinary Iranians while enriching politically connected insiders and deepening economic ties with China.
“Sanctions have had an impact, there’s no question,” said Gregory Brew, a Middle East and energy expert, on Iran International’s Eye for Iran podcast. “But the idea that they can be used to change state behavior, I think that age is coming to an end.”
Despite the Trump administration’s pressure, Iran continues to earn over 4 billion dollars a month from oil sales.
