Persuade Iran from Blocking Strait of Hormuz – US Urges China
The United States has urged China to intervene diplomatically and dissuade Iran from attempting to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint, in the wake of American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Beijing has a vested interest in maintaining stability in the region, especially given its heavy reliance on the strait for oil imports.
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio stated.
Tensions escalated after the U.S. launched early morning strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites. Analysts have warned that Iran may retaliate by attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows.
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Rubio warned that such an action would be catastrophic for Iran and others.
“If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It’s economic suicide for them… and we retain options to deal with that,” he said.
“But other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours. It would be, I think, a massive escalation that would merit a response—not just by us but from others as well.”
Amid growing fears of a broader regional conflict, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that U.S. military bases in the region would be considered “legitimate targets” for retaliation.
It remains uncertain whether Washington’s actions will pressure Tehran to de-escalate or provoke a deeper confrontation.
Meanwhile, China has aligned with Russia and several Arab nations in condemning the U.S. strikes, accusing Washington of aggravating tensions in the already volatile Middle East.
By PRNigeria
