""Oil from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, except Saudi Arabia, ceased to be of any importance to the United States long ago"".

Maybe you can persuade the USA policy folks of that?
Good luck :)

When one interest squeezes on the oil balloon in one location, it has a global impact, and the impact pops out all over the place (consumers often see it reflected as price increases), whether it makes sense or not. Maybe the USA could bomb the oil speculators (on second thought, it may only strike too close to home)