Iran’s Revolutionary Guards permit Chinese vessels to pass the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since war began in February.
TEHRAN: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that naval forces had allowed a number of Chinese ships to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz since the previous night.
Iran has largely blocked shipping through the vital strait since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28.
In peacetime, the route accounts for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, along with other key commodities.
“It was ultimately concluded that a number of Chinese ships requested by this country would pass through this area after an agreement on Iran’s strait management protocols,” the Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, said in a statement.
“This passage began last night,” they added.
Iranian state television said “more than 30 ships” had been allowed to pass, although it was not clear if they were all Chinese.
Iran’s grip over the waterway has rattled global markets and given Tehran significant leverage, while the United States has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The passage of ships comes with US President Donald Trump visiting China, where he met counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday for talks that included the Iran war.
