March 5, 2026

Seemingly under intense pressure from China, Iran’s terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) modified its threats to close the vital Strait of Hormuz to worldwide oil shipping, claiming that it would only attack American, Israeli, and European ships.

Beijing nevertheless ordered its largest oil refiners to halt their exports of diesel and gasoline until further notice.

 

Under apparent pressure from China, Iran’s IRGC softened its threats to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, targeting only American, Israeli, and European vessels, yet Beijing still ordered halts on diesel and gasoline exports. The strait, crucial for about 20% of the world’s oil and LNG flow, remains tense as IRGC claimed it was “closed,” and warned tankers of severe retaliation, leading many ships to reroute or become stranded, including seven South Korean tankers carrying millions of barrels of oil. Meanwhile, President Trump assured that U.S. insurance and naval escorts are ready to safeguard tankers navigating this volatile chokepoint.

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