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Iran boosts forgotten Jask port as Kharg faces US threat

Source: thetimes.com

TL;DR

Iran ramps up oil exports from the little-used Jask port as a backup to Kharg Island amid US threats of invasion.
Satellite imagery shows two very large crude carriers loaded about four million barrels at Jask last month, worth £330 million.
Jask offers partial redundancy outside the Strait of Hormuz, letting Iran sustain some revenue despite reduced Kharg shipments.

The story at a glance

Iran has boosted activity at Jask port on the Gulf of Oman after US airstrikes hit military targets on Kharg Island, its main oil export hub handling 90 per cent of shipments. President Trump has threatened to seize Kharg, prompting Iran to test Jask via the Goreh-Jask pipeline as plan B. Satellite analysis by Synmax Intelligence and Kpler reveals millions of barrels shipped from Jask since the war began, with storage up from three million to 4.3 million barrels.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-oil-exports-forgotten-port-kharg-island-8w83nzb8s)

Key points

Jask port, opened in 2021 and called "forgotten" due to inactivity, shipped oil only once before the war, in October 2024.
Last month, two very large crude carriers—each holding two million barrels—loaded at Jask within 15 days; one, the sanctioned Iran-flagged Dore, reached Malaysia for likely transfer to China.
Oil storage at Jask's 20 tanks rose to 4.3 million barrels from three million pre-war, per Kpler shadow analysis.
Jask, 95 miles east of the Strait of Hormuz and 500 miles from Kharg, has a one million barrels-a-day capacity but acts as a supplementary outlet.
Kharg exports fell to 40 per cent capacity in mid-March after US strikes destroyed military targets but spared oil facilities; levels later recovered.
China buys 90 per cent of Iran's oil, providing tens of billions in revenue; the US tracks these shadow fleet shipments.

Details and context

Jask connects to inland fields via the Goreh-Jask pipeline, allowing exports bypassing the Strait of Hormuz—a key advantage if US forces target Kharg or blockade the Gulf. Experts like Petras Katinas of the Royal United Services Institute call it a buffer for Iran's oil-dependent economy, though only a partial fix given Kharg's seven million barrels-a-day loading scale.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-oil-exports-forgotten-port-kharg-island-8w83nzb8s)

Kharg, a larger facility off Bushehr province, relies on deep-water jetties for supertankers and has been reinforced with missiles. Iran anticipated risks, ramping pre-war exports and storage there. Jask's ramp-up shows operational testing, but volumes remain low compared to normal 1.5 million barrels a day from Iran.[[2]](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/kharg-island-struck-by-us-is-key-hub-iran-oil-exports-2026-03-14)

Trump's marines buildup fuels invasion talk, while Iran's parliament speaker warns of retaliation. The US monitors Jask via satellites and tracking.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-oil-exports-forgotten-port-kharg-island-8w83nzb8s)

Key quotes

“The Iranian economy is heavily dependent on crude oil exports. ... This is plan B.” — Petras Katinas, oil and gas specialist at the Royal United Services Institute.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-oil-exports-forgotten-port-kharg-island-8w83nzb8s)

“They’re testing the facilities in the event where they cannot use Kharg, they would use Jask. It would only be a partial replacement ... but it would be better than zero.” — Homayoun Falakshahi, crude oil analysis manager at Kpler.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/iran-oil-exports-forgotten-port-kharg-island-8w83nzb8s)

Why it matters

Disrupting Iran's oil lifeline hits its main revenue source, funding military and regime stability amid war. Businesses and investors face steadier supply risks as Jask eases full Kharg shutdown effects, though global prices stay volatile from Hormuz threats. Watch US response to Jask activity and any Kharg ground moves, which could spike exports or prompt strikes.