Iran Opens Strait of Hormuz Passage to Chinese Ships Amid Energy Security Talks
Dubai— Iran has begun allowing selected Chinese vessels to transit through the Strait of Hormuz under a new coordination arrangement with Tehran, Iranian semi-official media reported on Thursday, as global powers intensify efforts to stabilize energy flows through the critical waterway.
The report by Iran’s Fars news agency came hours after Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during summit talks in Beijing that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open to ensure uninterrupted global energy supplies.
According to Fars, citing an informed source, the arrangement followed requests from China’s foreign minister and ambassador to Tehran. Iran subsequently agreed to facilitate the passage of a number of Chinese-linked vessels within what the report described as the framework of the two countries’ strategic partnership.
The report did not specify how many ships would be permitted to transit or whether broader restrictions on international shipping remained in place.Iran sharply tightened controls over movement through the Strait following the start of US and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, significantly disrupting maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
The situation worsened after a US blockade on Iranian ports began shortly after a ceasefire agreement reached in early April, prolonging instability across the Gulf region and affecting shipping routes responsible for roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas flows.It remained unclear how significantly the latest arrangement would alter maritime operations in practice.
During the conflict, Iranian authorities had already indicated that vessels considered neutral particularly those linked to China — could pass through the Strait if they coordinated movements with Iranian military forces.
Ship-tracking data showed that a Chinese supertanker carrying around 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude successfully passed through the Strait on Wednesday after being stranded in Gulf waters for more than two months due to the conflict.
The renewed movement of Chinese vessels through Hormuz highlights Beijing’s growing diplomatic and economic engagement in Gulf security issues as disruptions in the region continue to fuel volatility in global energy markets.
