By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: The United States has claimed that China will not be able to access Iranian oil due to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The development comes as tensions in the region continue to escalate.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would prevent China from obtaining Iranian oil, adding that Washington would stop Chinese vessels attempting to transport it.
According to US officials, the blockade has entered its second day. The US Central Command, CENTCOM, said no vessels had reached Iranian ports since the restrictions were imposed.
CENTCOM added that over the past 48 hours, no ships had entered or exited Iranian ports, while nine vessels complied with orders from US forces to turn back.
Meanwhile, reports in US media said the Pentagon was preparing to deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in the coming days.
The reports also suggested that the administration of Donald Trump was increasing pressure on Iran to reach an agreement, with the possibility of further strikes or ground operations being considered if a ceasefire does not hold.
#USIranTensions #StraitOfHormuz #ChinaOil #MiddleEastCrisis #Pentagon #CENTCOM #GlobalPolitics
