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Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/apr/13/trump-right-iran-no-cards/
Iran Has No Cards
(Washington Times) Kelly Sadler - An armada of 121 empty oil tankers is heading toward the U.S., compared with 24 the week before the Iran war began in February, as Asian buyers look to offset the loss of Iranian exports by turning to U.S. suppliers, according to oil research firm Kpler. Many of these empty tankers are traveling through the Panama Canal. With Chevron now importing 250,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude oil a day after the ouster of dictator Nicholas Maduro, U.S. supply is abundant. "We think we can take that up another 50%," Andy Walz, president of downstream, midstream and chemicals at Chevron's operations in Mississippi, told BBC last week. Preventing Iran from selling its oil, which accounts for 40% of its government revenue, will bankrupt the country. Saudi Arabia announced this weekend it has restored full capacity on its East-West oil pipeline, allowing it to divert exports out of the Red Sea. The UAE can partially bypass the Strait of Hormuz by using its Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline. The Iranian regime thought blocking the Strait of Hormuz would trigger global economic chaos that would pressure Mr. Trump to halt U.S. operations against it. It hasn't. As the president has said, Iran has "no cards," whereas the U.S. has maximal leverage.