China Backs Iran’s Rights, Calls for Swift Reopening of Strait of Hormuz
BEIJING, CHINA — WEB DESK: China has reaffirmed support for Iran’s “legitimate rights and interests” while calling for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened as soon as possible, as Beijing steps up diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington and protect global energy flows.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remarks during talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on Wednesday. Araghchi’s September 16 visit had been officially announced by China’s Foreign Ministry a day earlier.
Wang said China was prepared to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with Iran and continue supporting what Beijing describes as Iran’s legitimate rights and interests. He simultaneously called on both Iran and the United States to remain rational, exercise restraint and return to negotiations.
China Calls for Hormuz Shipping to Resume
A central focus of the meeting was the continuing disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.
Wang urged relevant parties to take effective steps to restore normal navigation through the strategic waterway as soon as possible, stressing its importance to international energy transportation and global supply chains.
The appeal comes as visible commercial traffic through Hormuz remains severely depressed.
Preliminary shipping data showed only four vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, compared with a 10-day average of 18. Two vessels entered and two exited, and none were very large crude carriers or LNG tankers. Some additional ships may have crossed without transmitting tracking signals.
Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was a critical route for roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG flows, making prolonged disruption a major concern for energy-importing economies.
Beijing Urges Return to Islamabad Memorandum
China also called on Tehran and Washington to return to the Islamabad memorandum and conduct “substantive consultations” on issues of mutual concern.
Wang said the two sides should rebuild a framework for negotiations based on previously reached consensus rather than allow the conflict to escalate further.
Beijing also expressed concern about the possibility of the conflict spreading further into Yemen and the Red Sea, where escalating fighting and threats to maritime traffic are creating another challenge for international shipping.
China’s position combines support for Iran’s sovereign interests with a call for secure international navigation.
In earlier diplomatic contacts, Wang said Iran’s sovereignty, security and legitimate interests as a country bordering Hormuz should be respected, while also stressing that freedom and security of navigation through the internationally accessible strait must be guaranteed.
Iran-US Negotiations Remain Difficult
China’s diplomatic push comes amid significant obstacles to renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Iran has recently rejected immediate talks with the United States until Washington meets conditions set by Tehran. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said this week that Iran would not return to negotiations until those conditions were satisfied.
An Iran-Oman understanding reported last week also did not provide for the immediate reopening of Hormuz. An Iranian source cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency said it instead established a framework that could lead to reopening later, subject to US compliance with Tehran’s conditions.
That makes Beijing’s call for a rapid restoration of navigation diplomatically significant but does not mean Iran has agreed to an immediate reopening.
Hormuz Crisis Keeps Pressure on Energy Markets
The disruption has forced regional oil exporters to seek alternative routes.
Saudi Arabia has offered additional crude to Asian customers through ship-to-ship transfers off Sohar, Oman, following attacks that disrupted its East-West pipeline and halted loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Global crude markets remain highly sensitive to these developments. Brent crude traded around $108 a barrel on Wednesday, with Middle East supply disruptions limiting losses despite a large increase in US crude inventories.
The implications extend beyond oil. Disruption to Middle Eastern LNG supplies has driven Asian spot LNG prices sharply higher and affected demand in major Asian importing economies, including China, India and Pakistan.
China Positions Itself as Diplomatic Stakeholder
China has repeatedly supported diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the Iran-US conflict and restoring normal navigation through Hormuz.
Beijing previously backed Pakistan and other countries involved in diplomatic efforts and argued that a durable settlement should respect the sovereignty and legitimate interests of states bordering Hormuz while preserving international navigation.
China also has a substantial economic interest in regional stability because of its dependence on Middle Eastern energy supplies.
Wang’s meeting with Araghchi therefore carried both diplomatic and economic significance: Beijing reaffirmed its relationship with Tehran while publicly pressing for a solution that restores a critical international shipping route.
For now, however, China’s call does not constitute an agreement to reopen Hormuz. Shipping remains severely constrained, and significant differences between Tehran and Washington continue to complicate efforts to restore normal navigation.
