U.S. exports to Iran rose by nearly a third this year, chiefly because of grain sales, according to U.S. data released last week, despite the tightening of U.S. financial sanctions.
The jump to $199.5 million in the first eight months of 2012 from $150.8 million a year earlier, according to Census Bureau data, is surprising given Western efforts to isolate Iran economically because of its suspected pursuit of nuclear arms.
The increase masks a drop in the export of some humanitarian goods such as medicines, a decline U.S. exporters blame largely on the difficulty of getting paid by Iranian importers because of new U.S. financial sanctions.
looking beyond borders 
This must be embarrassing from a political standpoint. But it does make sense. When we say Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, we mean the iranian government and not the people. Sanctions on Iran are supposed to target those in power and not the people. Unfortunately, the line is blurred between the people and the government. Tough sanctions on Iran puts the US and its allies in a precarious position. One one hand they rigorously advocating for people in countries such as syria who are denied food, medical equipment, ect by their repressive governments while preventing these same things to Iranians due to sanctions.