Centcom announces the outcome of 100 days of siege... and funding for the Guard is under pressure

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The US Central Command (Centcom) said on Thursday that the naval blockade imposed on Iran has limited the ability of the Revolutionary Guard, noting that US measures prevented Tehran from exporting crude oil worth at least $25 billion, with 100 days having passed since the resumption of the blockade.

The command added, in a statement, that Iran did not carry out import or export operations by sea during this period, with the exception of humanitarian aid shipments that American forces allowed to pass through. It was considered that the siege contributed to reducing the financial resources available to the Revolutionary Guard and its associated networks.

American pressure is not limited to maritime trade movement, as the Commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said that Washington also contributed to freezing about $350 million in crypto-assets linked to Iran, as part of efforts aimed at reducing Tehran’s ability to finance its activities, purchase weapons, and rebuild damaged facilities.

In a related context, Axios reported, citing Cooper, that armed groups supported by Iran have begun transferring financial resources to the Revolutionary Guard, in light of the pressures Tehran is facing. The American command said that the Guard is facing difficulties in paying the dues of its members, while some allied groups are moving to redirect funds to support it, according to the American account.

Centcom's statements coincide with data regarding the decline in Iranian oil exports. On October 13, Reuters quoted a report by the Vortexa energy information platform that Iranian crude oil exports fell to zero this month, after declining in September, in light of the impact of the US blockade.

But Reuters reported in a separate report published on October 16 that, despite the blockade, Iran has been able to export limited quantities of liquefied petroleum gas and aviation fuel since July. The report was based on tanker tracking data and information from maritime security sources, noting the departure of at least eight tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas, and the arrival of another tanker carrying jet fuel to Myanmar in September.

According to the report, LPG shipments were estimated at about 4.1 million barrels, while analyzes indicated the use of transfers between ships near the Sultanate of Oman to hide the routes of some shipments. On the other hand, a US Treasury Department official questioned some of the tracking data, pointing out that ships may have used misleading location data or identities.

On the other hand, Moscow criticized the US naval blockade on Iran and called for the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, in statements reported by TASS on October 8, that Russia is ready to help search for compromise solutions that allow the normal resumption of ship movement, taking into account international law and the interests of the parties concerned.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also made a visit to Tehran on October 19, which discussed the US-Israeli war on Iran, regional security, and efforts to reduce escalation. Moscow has confirmed its desire to maintain its relations with the parties in the region, and has offered to contribute to mediation efforts.