Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated in an August 30 interview with Fox News that his administration's blockade on Iran was "incredible" and placed "very severe" economic pressure on Iran. Meanwhile, escalating U.S.-Iran tensions led Brent crude oil prices to surpass $90 per barrel on August 31. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is currently at approximately 289.7 million barrels, its lowest level since 1982, which experts consider to be near dangerous levels. If the Trump administration were to release the remaining 39 million barrels as per previous agreements, reserves would fall to about 243 million barrels, below the practical operational minimum identified by petroleum engineering professor Siddharth Misra.