Iran loses its land trade routes...and food rises 128%

Iran is facing increasing economic pressure with the disruption of its land trade routes, after Pakistan prevented the passage of trucks coming from Iranian territory through two border crossings, in implementation of US sanctions, while reports revealed the accumulation of thousands of trucks on Iran’s borders with neighboring countries.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, American pressures began to directly affect Iranian land trade, which led to the disruption of exports and disruption of cross-border transport operations.

The newspaper explained that the Pakistani authorities prevented the passage of trucks coming from Iran through two border crossings, as part of compliance with the US sanctions imposed on Tehran.

It quoted an Iranian official as saying that his country's exports to Pakistan were suspended due to these sanctions, without specifying the size of affected exports or the date of their resumption.

In another indication of the extent of the disruption, the Wall Street Journal quoted an Iranian official as saying that about 17,000 trucks are stuck on Iran’s borders with Turkey, Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan.

This number reflects the wide range of problems facing Iranian commercial transport, and not being limited to the border crossings with Pakistan.

The official did not specify, according to the information available, the period during which the trucks remained stuck or the nature of the goods they were carrying.

These developments indicate the increasing difficulty of using land routes to transport goods to and from Iran, in light of the pressures associated with the implementation of US sanctions.

Economic pressures are not limited to foreign trade, as the newspaper’s report indicated that food prices in Iran rose by 128%.

The available information did not include a specification of the time period during which this increase was recorded, or whether it included all food items or a specific basket of them.

This rise comes at a time when Iran faces economic challenges linked to sanctions and the disruption of trade.

On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal quoted an American official as saying that economic sanctions contribute to isolating the Iranian regime and pushing it to despair, a description that reflects Washington’s position on the results of the economic pressure policy.

These developments coincide with continued tension between the United States and Iran, with US President Donald Trump hinting at the possibility of carrying out a new military operation if Tehran does not reach an agreement.

Trump said on Friday that Washington may carry out another operation against Iran, while keeping the door open for negotiation.

Between the disruption of border crossings, the accumulation of trucks, and the rise in food prices, the pressures on the Iranian economy are increasing, while it is not yet clear how long the current trade restrictions may last or the extent of their impact on export movement during the coming period.