Iran has announced that it allows Chinese vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a “gesture of thanks” for Beijing’s diplomatic backing during the escalating conflict, while all other commercial shipping remains barred from the narrow sea corridor linking the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean.
Iranian military commanders have claimed that forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps now exercise full control over the chokepoint and have warned that foreign vessels attempting to transit without permission risk missile strikes or drone attacks.
The blockage marks one of the most dramatic disruptions to global oil shipments in decades. Roughly one-fifth of global oil and a significant share of liquefied natural gas shipments passes thrugh the strait. Energy exporters including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar depend heavily on the passage to reach international markets, while Asian economies rely on its traffic for vital fuel supplies.
Shipping activity through the strait has plummeted since the joint military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks and began restricting maritime access to the channel, prompting insurers, tanker operators and container lines to halt voyages into the region or divert vessels elsewhere.
Hundreds of ships have been left stranded outside the Persian Gulf or waiting for security clearances as military tensions intensified across the Middle East. Some vessels have suffered damage from projectiles or near-miss incidents during the standoff, adding to fears among shipping companies and commodity traders that the confrontation could disrupt energy supplies on a global scale.
Tehran’s decision to permit only Chinese vessels reflects the complex geopolitical alignment emerging from the conflict. China has maintained close economic relations with Iran for years and remains one of the largest buyers of Iranian crude oil. Chinese officials have called for restraint and emphasised the need to protect energy shipping routes while criticizing attacks on Iranian territory by Washington and Tel Aviv.
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