Iran is turning to its land borders for ways to keep trade moving as the U.S. naval blockade constrains shipping. But these routes are best seen as a buffer, not a substitute for maritime trade. They can help move selected goods, give merchants more options, and support businesses in border regions. They cannot make up for lost oil revenue, and they depend on infrastructure and political cooperation that Iran cannot control alone. The recent suspension of trade at two crossings with Pakistan is a reminder that land routes, too, can be disrupted with little warning.

The blockade and the shift to land

The loss of crude exports is at the heart of the problem. Citing Vortexa, Reuters reported that Iran’s seaborne crude exports fell to zero in the second week of September 2026 and were still at zero in early October. Vortexa estimated that 43 million barrels of Iranian crude were trapped west of the Strait of Hormuz. This is more than a shipping setback: oil exports bring in foreign currency, which road and rail trade in food or machinery cannot replace. The figures refer to seaborne crude, however, and do not mean that every kind of Iranian trade has stopped.

Some petroleum products have still made it out. Reuters, drawing on shipping intelligence, reported that eight LPG tankers and one jet-fuel tanker had left the Gulf of Oman since the blockade was reimposed in July. UANI estimated the LPG cargoes at 4.1 million barrels. These shipments show that the restrictions are not an airtight seal, but they are limited and irregular. U.S. officials also cautioned that a ship passing through does not necessarily mean the blockade was breached; vessels are reviewed individually, and some may be allowed through. For now, these cargoes look like exceptions rather than a dependable route for Iran’s energy exports.

Iran’s push to move more goods by land is already straining key crossings. At Gürbulak, on the Turkey–Iran border, the Associated Press reported that truck numbers had risen from about 200 to 1,200.

Iran’s push to move more goods by land is already straining key crossings. At Gürbulak, on the Turkey–Iran border, the Associated Press reported that truck numbers had risen from about 200 to 1,200.

Waits on the Iranian side reached 12 to 25 days, and an Iranian trade official said the destination side could not........

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