US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged China to step in and stop Iran from potentially shutting down the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global oil shipping lane, BBC reported.
His remarks came after Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV reported that the country’s parliament had approved a proposal to close the Strait, though the final decision rests with the Supreme National Security Council.
Rubio told Fox News on Sunday that such a move would be “economic suicide” for Iran and severely impact global economies. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to contact them \[Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Strait for their oil,” he said. “If they close it… it will hurt other countries far more than it will hurt us.”
Around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a crucial route for oil and gas exports from the Middle East. Any disruption would likely send global oil prices soaring.
Following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, oil prices spiked, with Brent crude hitting a five-month high at \$81.40 per barrel before settling near \$78, still up 1.4% for the day.
Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial, warned that oil markets remain at risk of severe escalation. “The U.S. now has a dominant defence presence in the region, prepared for any Iranian retaliation,” he said.
China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil, with recent imports surpassing 1.8 million barrels per day, according to Vortexa, a shipping analytics firm. Other major Asian economies, including India, Japan, and South Korea, also heavily rely on oil that transits through the Strait.
Energy expert Vandana Hari told the BBC that Iran has more to lose than gain by closing the waterway. “Disrupting traffic would alienate its Gulf neighbours and anger its main buyer, China,” she said.
The tensions have escalated following US military intervention in the conflict between Iran and Israel. President Donald Trump claimed that US forces had “obliterated” key Iranian nuclear facilities, though the actual damage remains unclear. The UN’s atomic watchdog has said it hasn’t yet been able to verify the extent of the impact on the heavily protected Fordo site. Iran maintains that the damage was minimal.
Trump warned Tehran of even harsher consequences if it continues its nuclear pursuits.
In response, China criticised the US for worsening the situation. Beijing’s UN envoy Fu Cong urged all sides to avoid escalating the conflict, saying they must restrain “the impulse of force.”
An editorial in the state-run Global Times echoed this sentiment, stating that Washington’s actions had further destabilised the Middle East and risked pushing the conflict toward an “uncontrollable” phase.
