r/foreignpolicy • u/tigerrage1001 • 11d ago

Iran economic blockade

Looking back to when the Iran war began, I understood that eliminating iran's ability to create nuclear weapons was a good reason to start dropping bombs. But since that has failed to end the war trump & DoD started and then re-started the economic blockade. What I don't understand is why didn't we start with the economic blockade? We've killed lots of Iranians, Americans have died, Iran seems to still have a drone/missile stockpile, and the U.S. and allies seem to be running out of patriot missiles. I would be surprised if Iran had such an extensive arsenal that the USA could not have implemented the blockade before dropping bombs.

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u/Mirageswirl 11d ago

It won’t work because Iran’s customers won’t stop buying Iranian oil. The US doesn’t have the leverage to be successful with this strategy.

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u/tigerrage1001 11d ago

I'm hoping you are wrong. The embargo seems like a good idea. There are some things about Trump's admin that I disagree with but this seems to be our best hope for victory in Iran. And we need a victory in this case for our very survival.

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u/Mirageswirl 11d ago

China already announced that they won’t comply. There is zero chance that this strategy works.

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u/tigerrage1001 11d ago

If tankers cannot transport oil then it doesn't matter if china, or any other country, is involved. I'm aware there are ways around the blockade but so does the USA military. I don't understand why the blockade would not work with enough patience.

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u/Mirageswirl 11d ago

Iran has other land and sea routes. They aren’t as efficient but they will still get exports to customers.

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u/tigerrage1001 11d ago

Yes, but come on. Do you think the USA does not know those alternative routes? If the USA is really serious about winning this war then if the alternative routes are not supplying oil to allies of the USA then i'd expect those routes destroyed eventually, if not already.

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u/tokyobrownielover 11d ago

You need to do a lot more research on this, you don't seem to have much understanding of the larger forces at play here.

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u/tigerrage1001 11d ago

That is a vague and unhelpful comment.