{
  "id": 2745093,
  "title": "Iran made billions of dollars, bypassed sanctions amid US blockade, top official Rezaee claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/iran-made-billions-of-dollars-bypassed-sanctions-amid-us-blockade-top",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-23T07:52:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-906287"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Iranian Supreme National Security Council head Mohsen Rezaee claimed in an interview that Iran had made billions of dollars despite U.S. sanctions and a blockade. He stated that Iran had sold millions of barrels of oil, circumventing the U.S. naval blockade. Rezaee warned other countries against joining the U.S. economic war against Iran, asserting that Iran would strike targets if provoked. He accused the U.S. and Israel of intentionally fueling regional conflicts to sell weaponry, stating that Iran had no interest in war and had participated in three negotiations with the Americans. Rezaee also mentioned that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and would reopen only if the U.S. fulfilled its obligations. He discussed the Gulf countries' response to the U.S. abandoning them, predicting that Iran would evolve its defenses in response to the war with Israel and the U.S. Rezaee criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for increasing the national debt, which now requires the U.S. to borrow more annually. He accused the U.S. of putting the world in greater danger by initiating a war under the pretext of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, noting that Iran had cooperated with IAEA inspections and other oversight measures. Rezaee argued that Iran's compliance should have been enough, and its nuclear facilities were attacked, the world should consider its own safety.",
  "summary": "\"In the past month or two, we sold seventy million barrels of oil,\" he said. \"Now every day we sell oil to American ships on that side, as much as we produce.\"",
  "key_points": [
    "Iran made billions via oil sales despite US sanctions, bypassing blockade",
    "Supreme National Security Council head Rezaee made claim in interview",
    "Rezaee warned against US economic war, accused US/Israel of fueling conflicts"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Iran's ability to bypass US sanctions and make billions of dollars selling oil undermines the US strategy of using economic pressure to influence Iranian policy and behaviour.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Pezeshkian sounds alarm, says Iran in 'full-scale war' as US sanctions loom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/pezeshkian-sounds-alarm-says-iran-in-full-scale-war-as-us-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-08-23T09:58:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}