Methanol, pistachios and cement: the other Iranian exports being choked by the war

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · May 26, 2026 · 888 words · By Farhang Morady

Global Supply Chain Disruption Economic Warfare Geopolitical Conflict

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The article examines the global economic repercussions of a conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel, specifically focusing on the disruption of Iranian exports of methanol, pistachios, and cement. It details how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and targeted strikes on infrastructure have impacted supply chains in China, the UAE, Iraq, and Kuwait.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 20

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The war between Iran, the US and Israel has escalated into a major global crisis, with consequences that are reaching far beyond the Middle East.

Why it matters

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 25% of the world’s oil ordinarily passes, has rattled global energy markets.

Common ground

This has only been worsened by the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which was imposed on April 13 in an attempt to restrict Iran’s ability to export its oil.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What terms are actually in the Iran proposal, and which side would have to compromise first?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that making it the world’s second-largest supplier after China?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/methanol-pistachios-and-cement-the-other-iranian-exp…

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 20 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 10

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 1

verified Verified 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

info

Claim 1: “making it the world’s second-largest supplier after China.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim that Iran is the second-largest supplier of methanol after China appears in a LinkedIn post by Gregory Dolan and a related article, but is not corroborated by authoritative industry data or Wikipedia in the provided evidence.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The clearest beneficiary of constrained Iranian supply is the US. A 40-year-old US tariff on Iranian in-shell pistachios, introduced after the 1979 revolution, gradually helped California’s domestic i…
https://theconversation.com/methanol-pistachios-and-cement-t…

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web search NEUTRAL — A slew of unplanned outages in Q3 and Q4 helped temper supply in the face of lackluster demand resulting from the pandemic. The market saw the return of some supply in H2 2020 from the restart of idle…
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/commodities-2021-methan…

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web search NEUTRAL — Israel's first attack five days ago was under the premise of dismantling Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons.The UN watchdog has never said there’s evi...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzmtdwsef8s

schedule

Claim 2: “Iraq ships 97% of its energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz and Kuwait 100%.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 3: “In the six months to March 2025 alone, Iranian pistachio exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rose by 40% compared with the previous year”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “since hostilities began in February, Iranian methanol exports have effectively ceased.”

CORROBORATED

Two separate web results (one from a news article and one from Gregory Dolan's LinkedIn) explicitly state that Iranian methanol exports have effectively ceased since hostilities began in February.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · But since hostilities began in February, Iranian methanol exports have effectively ceased. ... following attacks on two tankers off the ...
https://theconversation.com/methanol-pistachios-and-cement-t…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago · ... after China. But since hostilities began in February, Iranian methanol exports have effectively ceased. Strikes on Iran's gas infrastructure ...
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gregory-dolan-57b1194_methano…

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 16, 2026 · The statement follows escalating hostilities after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which triggered a sharp deterioration in ...
https://www.facebook.com/firstpostin/posts/strait-of-hormuz-…

schedule

Claim 5: “Harvests among the three major producers fell short of expectations in 2025 due to drought.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “eastern industrial users, who are now paying up to 500 yuan (£55) per tonne more for methanol produced domestically than methanol sourced from overseas.”

CORROBORATED

Web results confirm a pricing differential between inland and coastal pricing in China expanding to 300-500 yuan/ton during supply constraints, supporting the claim that users are paying up to 500 yuan more.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 10, 2026 ... From January 4th to 9th, the price of methanol in the East China port of the Chinese market increased from 2245 CNY/ton to 2265 CNY/ton, a ...
https://www.echemi.com/cms/2792710.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 2 days ago ... It imported around 14 million tonnes of methanol in 2025, with much of it entering the country through coastal ports. For China, importing ...
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/iran-war-supply-c…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 3, 2026 ... The differential between inland and coastal pricing has expanded to 300-500 yuan/ton during supply constraint periods, reflecting the premium ...
https://discoveryalert.com.au/china-methanol-imports-disrupt…

schedule

Claim 7: “Iranian pistachio exports have fallen by around 30% on the year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 8: “over 30% of global seaborne methanol supply has been removed from the market.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm this. One source explicitly states 'over 30% of global seaborne methanol supply has been removed', and another mentions '35% of the global methanol supply'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Over and Over may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_and_Over

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "Over There" is a 1917 war song written by George M. Cohan that was popular with the United States military and the American public during World War I and World War II. Written shortly after the Ameri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_There

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Over may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 9: “the government in Tehran responded to internal unrest by shutting down the internet [from January 2026]”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 10: “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 25% of the world’s oil ordinarily passes”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the figure. The IEA explicitly states around 25% of world seaborne oil trade transits the Strait, and other web results mention 'about a fifth' or specific barrel counts consistent with this percentage.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Kingdom of Hormuz (also known as Hormoz or, archaically, Ormus; Persian: هرمز; Portuguese: Ormuz) was a kingdom ruled by a dynasty of southern Arab origin. It was located in the eastern side of th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hormuz

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 11: “Pistachio prices reached US$4.57 (£6.10) a pound in March, their highest level since 2018.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “In early May, the US Defense Department estimated that Iran had been denied nearly US$5 billion (£3.7 billion) in oil revenue due to the blockade.”

CORROBORATED

Three separate web search results (including a report citing Axios and another mentioning the Pentagon) confirm the US Defense Department estimated a loss of nearly $5 billion (or specifically $4.8 billion) in oil revenue due to the blockade.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The military budget of the United States is the largest portion of the discretionary federal budget allocated to the Department of Defense (DoD), or more broadly, the portion of the budget that goes t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Department of Defense (DoD), also referred to as the Department of War (DoW), is an executive department of the United States federal government charged with coordinating and supervi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_De…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States secretary of defense (SecDef), secondarily titled the secretary of war (SecWar), is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), the executive department of the U.S. Ar…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Def…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 13: “the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which was imposed on April 13”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (Al Jazeera and The Hindu) explicitly report that the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States began a series of negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear peace agreement, following a letter from US president Donald Trump to Iranian supreme leader Al…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_Iran–United_States_n…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been engaged in a war with Iran and its regional allies. The conflict, sometimes referred to as the Third Gulf War, began when the US and Isra…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 13 April 2026, the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iran following the failure of the Islamabad Talks to end the 2026 Iran war. The blockade began 10 a.m. ET and applied only to ships goin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_naval_block…

+ 5 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 14: “Exports of clinker, the main constituent of cement, were down 17% in 2024 compared with the previous year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 15: “It [China] imported around 14 million tonnes of methanol in 2025”

VERIFIED

A specific industry report (CCFGroup) confirms that in 2025, China's total methanol imports reached 14.405 million tons, which aligns with the claim of 'around 14 million tonnes'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 28, 2025 ... In August 2025, China's methanol import volume was 1.7598 million tons, an increase of 59.59% compared to the previous month.
https://www.sunsirs.com/uk/detail_news-26854.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 7-14 million metric tons of low-carbon and renewable methanol supply in just ... While many projects remain in feasibility stages, roughly 4 million metric tons ...
https://methanol.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-Milesto…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Feb 2, 2026 ... In 2025, China's total methanol imports reached 14.405 million tons, representing a 7% year-on-year increase. On a monthly basis, import ...
https://www.ccfgroup.com/newscenter/newsview.php?Class_ID=D0…

schedule

Claim 16: “During the 2024 summer power crisis, 70% of cement kilns also halted operations.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 17: “A 40-year-old US tariff on Iranian in-shell pistachios, introduced after the 1979 revolution”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 18: “Iran produces roughly 10 million tonnes of methanol a year”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence was gathered regarding Iran's general situation and the 2026 war, none of the provided search results or Wikipedia entries specifically confirm the annual production figure of 10 million tonnes of methanol.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, historically known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 8 April 2026, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in the 2026 Iran war, mediated by Pakistan. Iran had rejected the draft proposal for a 45-day two-phased ceasefire framework …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war_ceasefire

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 19: “Iran also ranks as one of the world’s largest cement producers. Its annual output of 70 million tonnes”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 20: “Iran is the second-largest producer of pistachio nuts globally, sandwiched between the US in first and Turkey in third.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries to support or refute the claim regarding Iran's global ranking in pistachio production.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.