Strait of Tension: US Urges China to Prevent Iran from Closing a Global Oil Gateway

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has heightened concerns over Iran’s intentions regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime channel for global oil transportation. Following reports from Iran’s Press TV that Parliament had approved a plan to potentially close the Strait, Rubio urged China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, to leverage its influence over Tehran. He noted that disrupting this strategic route, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil flows, could trigger disastrous economic repercussions, including soaring oil prices. Oil prices, already reacting to geopolitical tensions, surged after the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, with Brent crude reaching $81.40 a barrel before settling around $78.

Rubio emphasized that closing the Strait would not only amount to an economic disaster for Iran but could also provoke severe responses from the US, highlighting the regional military posture prepared for any Iranian counterattacks. Energy experts, including Vandana Hari, warned that Iran has “little to gain and too much to lose” in escalating tensions that could turn neighboring Gulf states against it and risk angering China. As the US-Iran conflict intensifies—sparked further by President Trump’s military action against Iranian nuclear sites—China urged for restraint and condemned US military actions as reckless, raising fears that the situation could spiral into uncontrollable conflict, affecting global oil supply and prices and, consequently, economies worldwide.