Rubio Pressures China Over Hormuz Threat, China Backs Down

When Iran threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz a vital chokepoint for global oil Senator Marco Rubio didn’t wait for the crisis to escalate. Instead, the Secretary of State took direct aim at Beijing, daring the Chinese Communist Party to rein in its ally before the world economy took a hit. Less than 24 hours later, China did exactly that.

On Sunday, appearing on Fox News, Rubio made it crystal clear that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be “economic suicide” for Iran and a global disaster. But his challenge wasn’t aimed solely at Tehran it was aimed squarely at Beijing.

“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said. “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. We retain options to deal with that… and that response would be devastating.”

Just a day later, China reportedly issued a warning to the Iranian regime to back down. The rapid turnaround is a strong sign that Rubio’s hardline diplomacy worked and fast.

Here’s what’s at stake:

• China imports more oil from Iran than any other nation over 1.8 million barrels per day, according to data from ship tracking firm Vortexa.

• Over 83% of crude oil and LNG passing through the Strait of Hormuz is bound for Asian markets. Of that, China, India, Japan, and South Korea account for 69% of all oil and condensate flows.

• A closure of the Strait would send energy prices soaring, cripple Asian economies, and destabilize the entire global market.

Iran’s flirtation with economic terrorism by threatening this critical waterway a move reportedly endorsed by its Parliament shows how reckless the regime has become. But it also revealed something more telling: that even Iran’s closest enablers, like China, are unwilling to risk their own interests to defend Tehran’s suicidal tendencies.

For Rubio, this was a demonstration of leadership that has been sorely lacking under Democratic administrations. While the Biden–Harris team would likely have responded with more appeasement or indecision, Rubio spoke plainly, acted swiftly, and forced action without firing a shot.

And let’s not forget, this came days after President Trump’s strategic bombing campaign decimated Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Iran is wobbling, and now even its strongest allies are unwilling to step in.

This isn’t just a diplomatic win it’s a signal to the world: the United States will not be pushed around, and anyone playing with fire near the Strait of Hormuz will face consequences.

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