Iran Eyes New Trade Routes as Sanctions Bite. As Washington steps up its "maximum pressure" campaign, Tehran is quietly rethinking its trade strategy. Hadi Tizhoush Taban, head of the Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce, argues that a complete economic stranglehold is no longer feasible in a world where major powers pursue their own independent interests.
"The US can raise our transaction costs—that's the whole point," he said in an interview. Higher insurance premiums, shipping detours, and banking hurdles are all part of the design. But an absolute blockade? That, he insists, is another matter. With China, India, Russia, and Gulf states looking after their own commercial agendas, the global economy is too fragmented for total isolation.
Tizhoush Taban's prescription is straightforward: diversify or perish. Iran cannot rely on oil alone, nor on a single trade corridor. Northern routes through the Caucasus and Central Asia offer alternatives to southern ports, but https://financialtribune.com/node/119949
4September 7, 2026 615 2
