The cost of transporting oil by supertankers from the Persian Gulf to East Asia has increased by 60 percent in the wake of rising tensions between Iran and Israel. The ship booking market has been brought to a virtual standstill, with many Iranian tankers moving further away from ports, as the risk of crossing the Strait of Hormuz and concerns about disruption to maritime traffic have increased.
Throughout contemporary Iran, workers in the oil, gas, refining and distribution, and petrochemical industries have always been at the forefront of serving the people and the country. They have been silent contributors to national security, not only by producing energy, but also by sustaining the country's economic and industrial life.
Experts say that if Iranian oil exports are disrupted, Chinese refineries will be forced to use alternative oil from the Middle East or Russia, which will increase freight rates, tanker insurance, reduce the Brent-Dubai price differential, and put pressure on refinery profit margins, especially in Asia.
According to data from the international institute Kpler, total exports of crude oil and petroleum products through the Strait of Hormuz reached more than 21 million barrels per day in May 2025.
The Deputy Director of Operations in the Production Management of the National Southern Oilfields Company said: "With the operation of the newly constructed 30-inch line for transporting light oil from the West Karun fields, the 36-inch Ahvaz-Omidiyeh export pipeline has once again been dedicated to transporting heavy oil."
Rejecting the claim of a decrease in Iranian oil exports, the Oil Minister said: "The Ministry of Oil is ready to deploy a rig in the Arash field, but the implementation of this plan is dependent on the outcome of border negotiations and official notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
The unprecedented growth of outsourcing in Iran's oil industry is a wake-up call that experts consider a threat to the safety and productivity of the industry. Referring to the outsourcing of activities in this area, Shahriar Aghaei, a member of the Board of Directors of the Oil Fund, said that due to the lack of adequate supervision and the nature of contractors who seek greater economic benefits, safety issues in the workplace are less addressed, which results in numerous accidents in the oil industry.
The Deputy Director of Operations in the Production Management of the National Southern Oilfields Company said: "With the operation of the newly constructed 30-inch line for transporting light oil from the West Karun fields, the 36-inch Ahvaz-Omidiyeh export pipeline has once again been dedicated to transporting heavy oil."
The CEO of the National Southern Oilfields Company announced plans to reduce gas flaring by 200 million cubic feet per day this year.
New members of the Implementation Board have not been introduced, and there are even whispers of its closure. This uncertainty has caused damage to oil projects, especially the suspension of the Azadegan Integrated Development Contract.
