Just a small little extra information that comes via my inbox from various subscribed sources (Tradewinds, OilPrice, and others) a few minutes ago in regard to Iran also using the back door approach.
Just as the Gulf States - Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain - are using alternative means to get products into and out of the region, so is Iran.
Obviously with the USN blockading Iranian ports it has become almost impossible to ship anything into or out of Iran by sea and in some cases actual infrastructure has been damaged during hostilities.
Iran has a network of allies and semi allies who are co-ordinating imports and exports, thus allowing trade to continue - albeit in a lower capacity (as per the rest of the region's trade).
Overland connections that are in use are Razi on the border with Turkey, Taftan on the border with Pakistan and a rail freight link from Tehran to China via central Asia. Alternative sea ports include Bandar Anzali on the Caspian Sea allowing regular transport of goods including oil, oil products and gas and two ports in Pakistan, Gwadar and Karachi.
Contrary to the US claiming a full embargo exists, Iran is sending and receiving trade, including food, medicines, oil, oil products via these routes and has been doing so since hostilities began, and in many cases for many years prior to the current hostilities. Under international law, food and medicines should not be prevented from being delivered to any country, the US has been somewhat coy as to whether their Strait of Hormuz blockade is including shipments of food and medicine. There are strong rumours that Russia is supplying weaponry within shipments via the Caspian Sea, confirmed shipments of foodstuff has occurred and not just from Russia but also Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan into Iran's largest Caspian port of Bandar Anzali. The port itself was subject to Israeli attack in April but not put out of action. The rail link from Tehran to Xi'an and Yiwu in China was completed in 2025 and allows for a relatively high volume of import export trade tween Iran and China, including oil and gas, though as with the other Gulf States, not enough to end the dependency on the Strait of Hormuz and the area's ports.
The USN's blockade of Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman is therefore not as tight as they might think it is. There are ways and means for Iran to circumvent that blockade and they are taking full advantage of their friends and neighbours to do just that.