US Senate Seeks to Pressure Suppliers of Gasoline to Iran

Despite its vast petroleum resources, Iran is heavily dependent on imports for its transportation fuels needs, and some pro-democracy advocates say the US can use this dependence as leverage.

“Congress has embraced the idea of using Iran’s economic Achilles’ Heel — its heavy dependence on gasoline imports for about 40% of its domestic needs — to pressure the regime into giving up its illegal nuclear weapons program,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies Executive Director Mark Dubowitz said in a statement following the spending bill vote.

“This approach has attracted broad bipartisan support and should be brought to bear if Iran does not respond favorably to good-faith efforts to negotiate the end of its nuclear weapons program by the time of the G-20 Summit in September.”