Majid-Reza Hariri, President of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, has called for ending the US naval blockade “by any means possible,” including through military force or a new armed conflict, warning that relying on overland transit from China could inflict an estimated $18 billion in additional annual costs on Iran’s economy.
Speaking to KhabarOnline on Monday, August 10, Hariri stated: “Whether through negotiation, pleading, threats, or war, this naval blockade must be brought to an end.” He described the ongoing blockade as more damaging than direct military conflict, arguing that the Islamic Republic must not normalize bypassing the blockade and absorbing its immense costs, as it did with international sanctions.
Hariri calculated that maritime shipping for a container from China to southern Iranian ports costs roughly $3,000, whereas overland transportation averages $12,000 per container - adding a $9,000 premium per unit. Applying this difference to the approximately two million containers entering southern ports annually yields an estimated $18 billion financial toll. He emphasized that over 80 percent of global trade relies on maritime routes, meaning road and rail alternatives cannot sustainably replace ocean shipping beyond short-term emergency periods.
