U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to help prevent Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global trade route, following American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“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 said during an appearance on Fox News.
The warning comes amid concerns that Iran might retaliate for the U.S. strikes by closing the strait — a narrow but vital waterway through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply is transported.
“If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It’s economic suicide for them if they do it, and we retain options to deal with that,” Rubio said.
He also urged other nations to consider the broader consequences: “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.”
Tensions are rising as Iran continues to threaten U.S. military installations in the region. An advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that American bases would be considered “legitimate targets” for Iran’s armed forces.
It remains unclear whether the U.S. strikes will compel Iran to back down or provoke further escalation.
Meanwhile, China joined Russia and several Arab states in condemning the U.S. attacks, accusing Washington of inflaming tensions in the already volatile Middle East.
