30 Chinese Ships Transit Hormuz As US, Iran Deadlock Persists
Thirty Chinese vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night under Iranian naval management protocols, even as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a standoff over the strategic waterway’s operational status.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported Thursday that a senior official of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the development, disclosing that the ships passed through the strait in compliance with routes designated by Iranian authorities. The official added that several other countries had also accepted Iran’s prescribed passage corridors.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, was quoted as saying the strait remains open to all commercial vessels willing to cooperate with Iranian naval forces. “Iran has not posed any obstacle to shipping through the strait,” he said, placing responsibility for the broader blockade squarely on the United States.
Araghchi expressed optimism that the standoff could be resolved should Washington lift what he described as an American-imposed blockade.
Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz from February 28, barring passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following joint strikes on Iranian territory by both countries. The strait, one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints, handles roughly 20 percent of global oil supply.
The diplomatic temperature shifted somewhat following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which both leaders reportedly agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open for the free flow of energy, according to the White House. Xi was also quoted as saying that China’s national rejuvenation and the “Make America Great Again” agenda could coexist without rivalry.
Xi further signalled interest in purchasing more American crude oil as a means of reducing China’s reliance on the strait, the White House indicated. China had not imported any US crude since May 2025, following a 20 percent import tariff imposed during the trade war between both countries.
Oil markets responded to the developments. Brent crude futures, which had reached $107.13 per barrel earlier in the day, eased to $105.03 per barrel on Thursday.
Meanwhile, shipping data from Kpler and LSEG showed that three tankers carrying crude oil exited the strait last week and on Sunday with their tracking systems switched off, a move analysts say reflects efforts to avoid potential Iranian targeting. Among the vessels that passed through on Sunday were two very large crude carriers, the Agios Fanourios I and the Kiara M, each reportedly carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil