Due to a US naval blockade and airstrikes on its southern ports, Iran is exploring alternatives for oil exports and essential goods imports via the Caspian Sea and its land borders. However, these routes face significant hurdles, including a 2-meter drop in Caspian Sea levels since the 1990s, reducing northern port capacity from 6,000-tonne to 4,000-tonne vessels. Land borders also experience severe congestion, with up to 1,800 trucks queuing for days at the Norduz crossing with Armenia. Despite these challenges, the share of essential goods transported through northern ports has risen from 18% before the US-Israel war to 30% today, and container arrivals at Caspian ports increased by 50% year-on-year in the five months ending August 22. Iran is also working to complete the strategically important Rasht-Astara railway project with Russia.