U.S. economic pressure on has reached one of its most powerful points in decades, but inconsistent enforcement has prevented sanctions from achieving their full impact, according to a former Treasury sanctions expert.
Miad Maleki, who played a central role in Treasury Department sanctions campaigns against Iran and its network of proxy groups, said in an on-camera interview the current moment reflects a rare convergence of economic, political and diplomatic leverage against Tehran.
“Weve never had the that we have today with Iran in the history of our conflict ⦠since 1979,” Maleki said.Â
His assessment comes as President signaled escalating pressure Thursday, writing on Truth Social that the United States has “total control over the Strait of Hormuz” and that it is effectively “sealed up tight” until Iran agrees to a deal.
Maleki argues the current moment marks a turning point because multiple pressure tools â sanctions, a U.S. naval blockade, and tighter enforcement â are being applied simultaneously for the first time in years. Unlike previous cycles, he said, the strategy is now directly targeting Irans oil exports and the networks that help move them, raising the risk of a rapid economic squeeze.
He said Iran may run out of oil storage in as little as two to three weeks, forcing production cuts, while gasoline shortages could hit on a similar timeline due to heavy reliance on imports. Combined with an estimated $435 million in daily economic losses, the pressure could spill into the financial system, leaving the salaries and raising the risk of renewed unrest.
Maleki said the real leverage lies in sustained economic pressure and enforcement.
At the core of that pressure is an Iranian economy he describes as “on the verge of collapse,” driven by years of sanctions and compounded by recent disruptions.
He pointed to triple-digit food , a sharply devalued currency and a roughly 90% collapse in purchasing power, along with potential long-term oil revenue losses of up to $14 billion annually.
Maleki, who is currently a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, estimated that current conditions are costing Iran “about $435 million a day in combined economic damage ⦠with the blockade and of Hormuz.”
A key driver of that pressure is the Strait of Hormuz, long viewed as one of Irans primary tools of leverage in global energy markets. Maleki said the dynamic has shifted.
“Irans economy relies on the Strait of Hormuz more than any other economy,” he said, calling its closure a form of “economic self-sabotage.”
While countries in Asia â including Japan, South Korea, and China â are most exposed to disruptions, many have built up reserves. “Japans oil reserve is pretty significant. Same with China,” Maleki said.
Still, the region remains heavily dependent on the waterway, with roughly 75% of liquefied natural gas supplies for countries including India, China and South Korea flowing through the strait.
Inside Iran, however, vulnerabilities are more immediate. Despite vast oil reserves, the country imports between 30 million to 60 million liters of gasoline per day to cover a domestic shortfall of up to 35 million liters.
“If they run out of gasoline⦠theyre going to have a major crisis domestically,” Maleki said, noting that hikes have triggered widespread protests.
The economic pressure is being reinforced by a Irans oil exports, the regimes primary source of revenue.
A senior administration official said the Treasury Department is intensifying enforcement under what it describes as an “Economic Fury” campaign, using financial and maritime tools in tandem to squeeze Irans revenue streams.
The official said the strategy focuses on “systematically degrading Irans ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds,” including by constraining maritime trade through the naval blockade, which targets Irans prim
