US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has urged China to intervene diplomatically and dissuade Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil shipments.
Rubio’s call came in response to reports that Iranian lawmakers had passed a motion backing the closure of the strait, though final authority rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Iran’s state-run Press TV reported the parliamentary decision, sparking widespread concern over the potential fallout.
The Strait of Hormuz is responsible for transporting nearly 20% of the world’s oil, making any disruption highly consequential for the global economy. China, as Iran’s largest oil customer, could be significantly affected.
“If they [close the Straits]… it will be economic suicide for them. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours,” Rubio said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” he added.
This comes after US military strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. In the aftermath, oil markets responded swiftly, with Brent crude briefly surging to $81.40 per barrel, its highest in five months, before sliding back to around $76.30.
US President Donald Trump weighed in on his Truth Social platform, writing, “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON’T DO IT!”
The volatility of oil prices is already having a ripple effect, potentially impacting fuel costs and food prices worldwide.
Energy analyst Saul Kavonic from MST Financial noted, “The US is now positioned with an overwhelming defence posture in the region to be prepared for any Iran counter-attacks. But the risk for oil prices is the situation could escalate severely further.”
China’s dependency on Iranian oil has grown significantly, with recent figures from shipping data firm Vortexa indicating it imported more than 1.8 million barrels per day last month.
Other nations in Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and India, also heavily rely on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Vandana Hari, an energy expert, warned that Iran would be taking a major risk by closing the waterway.
“Iran risks turning its oil and gas producing neighbours in the Gulf into enemies and invoking the ire of its key market China by disrupting traffic in the Strait,” she told BBC News.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise in the region. The US entered the fray in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, with Trump stating that American forces had “obliterated” several of Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog said it could not verify the impact on the underground Fordo site, while Iranian officials claimed only minor damage was sustained.
Beijing has responded critically to the US military action. On Monday, China’s UN envoy Fu Cong called for an immediate end to hostilities and warned against the use of force, stating all parties must avoid “adding fuel to the fire,” as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
An editorial in China’s state-owned Global Times condemned the US airstrikes, saying they had further destabilized the region and pushed the conflict toward an “uncontrollable state.”
