France, Aug. 13 -- Iran has been unable to export oil since 1 August after a United States naval blockade shut down its main export terminals, adding to pressure on an economy already struggling with inflation and widespread poverty, Assadi told RFI.

The Islamic Republic had been given a 60-day grace period from 15 June to reach an agreement and exported as much oil as possible during the following six weeks, meaning revenue from those shipments was still coming in, said Assadi, an economist and lecturer at the Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France.

The US has also blocked several cryptocurrency exchanges, which had allowed Tehran to circumvent US sanctions.

"All of this shows that the economic situation is extremely dire," Assa...