Billions evaporated: Iran's oil reserves completely depleted

Iran has lost its floating oil reserves in Asia after they were completely drained due to the American naval blockade. The blow has cost Tehran at least $25 billion and worsened inflation and currency collapse. Washington hopes the economic pressure will force Tehran back to the negotiating table.

Iran has lost its floating oil reserves in Asia after they were completely drained due to the naval blockade imposed by the U.S. Navy, which prevented it from replacing the oil it sold to China. The damage to government revenues, which constitute the regime's main source of foreign currency, has cost Tehran at least $25 billion and worsened runaway inflation and currency collapse. According to data from analytics firm Kpler, of the approximately 135 million barrels Iran had at the start of the war in February, inventories fell to less than 1 million barrels by October 5. Washington hopes the economic pressure will force Tehran back to the negotiating table or spark internal protests. Expert Homayoun Falakshahi of Kpler assessed that the American gamble is that the economic war will push the regime to accept a nuclear deal. Conversely, the governor of Iran's central bank, Abdolnaser Hemmati, claimed that the Iranian economy has shown resilience.