Can Iran redirect trade through the Caspian Sea as tensions strain Hormuz?

Iran is looking for alternative trade routes, including through the Caspian Sea, as the United States moves to blockade the country's southern ports, according to Al Jazeera.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has long been central to Iran's exports, and any disruption to that route has significant implications for the country's oil-dependent economy.

Looking north for alternatives

The Caspian Sea, bordered by Iran along with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, offers a potential, if limited, alternative corridor for trade that does not rely on the same southern maritime routes currently facing pressure from US measures.

Shifting significant volumes of oil exports northward would likely require substantial infrastructure and logistical adjustments, given that Iran's existing export terminals and pipeline networks are predominantly oriented toward the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The report does not specify the scale of any current shift toward Caspian routes or provide a timeline for such a transition, leaving open how significant an alternative the northern route could realistically become for Iran's oil trade.