Israel Knocks Out 85% of Iran's Petrochemical Exports
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- Israel struck Iran's South Pars petrochemical complex in Assaluyeh on Monday (Apr 6), with explosions reported by Fars news agency, as part of an escalating campaign against Iranian industrial infrastructure.
- Israel Katz said South Pars accounts for about 50% of Iran's petrochemical production, and that combined with Saturday's strike on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Zone — which killed five people — the two facilities represent roughly 85% of Iran's petrochemical exports and are 'no longer functioning,' amounting to 'tens of billions of dollars' in damage.
- Iran's National Petrochemical Company said a fire at the Pars site was contained with no injuries reported, while local authorities said a separate strike hit a complex in Marvdasht further north and that fire was also contained.
- Tasnim news agency reported that companies supplying electricity, water, and oxygen to Assaluyeh were also attacked, and electricity to all Assaluyeh petrochemical units was cut.
- Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli strikes had destroyed around 70% of Iran's steel production capacity, and Katz said he and Netanyahu had ordered the military 'to continue striking with full force Iran's national infrastructure.'
- The White House said Trump has not signed off on a reported 45-day ceasefire deal mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, while Iran denies being engaged in any negotiations — though Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said 'the war is ongoing as talks are going' and accused Iran of using talks to stall.
Why it matters: Israel's strikes have now disabled roughly 85% of Iran's petrochemical exports per Katz's own claim, a direct hit to a sector that generated tens of billions in revenue and supplied feedstock for military-industrial production. The simultaneous push for a 45-day ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey signals that despite Trump's claim Iran is 'close' to a deal, Tehran's denial of talks and Israel's stated intent to keep striking mean the diplomatic track and the military escalation are running in parallel, not in sequence.
