On Monday, April 13, following the failure of negotiations between Iran and the United States, the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz puts pressure on the region. By Tuesday, April 14, in the morning, a first ship registered in China is said to have defied navigation restrictions.
On the 46th day of the Middle-East war, which began on February 28 following Israeli-American bombings on Iran, resulting in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the situation remains tense in the region. After the unsuccessful negotiations between Iran and the United States on Sunday, April 12, Donald Trump announced an American blockade on the Iranian ports of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage for global trade through which 20% of the world’s oil consumption transits. Implemented on Monday, April 13, the blockade seems contradictory to previous demands by the American president calling for the opening of the strait, controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in response to the bombings.
A Chinese oil tanker crosses the strait despite the blockade
While a fifteen-day truce between the two countries was decided on Tuesday, April 7, the situation could worsen. Iran argues that the American blockade is illegal and akin to “piracy”. Moreover, the blockade seems already fragile. In the morning of Tuesday, April 14, a ship registered in China reportedly defied the blockade by crossing the strait, as reported by several sources. According to information from L’Indépendant, it is said to be a Chinese oil tanker, the Rich Starry, belonging to the company Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd. The ship, along with the company, is subject to American sanctions due to their dealings with Iran. A few hours later, another ship registered in the Comoros, also subject to American sanctions, had allegedly also forced the passage, as reported by TF1. By midday, 14 oil tankers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz, according to BFMTV.
“Preserving the authority of international law”
During a meeting with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chinese President Xi Jinping denounced the American naval blockade. “Preserving the authority of international law should not mean using it when it suits us, and rejecting it when it does not. We cannot allow the world to return to the law of the jungle. The sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of countries in the Middle East and the Gulf region must be fully respected,” he declared. To reach a diplomatic solution, Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday, April 13, the upcoming organization of an international conference on the Strait of Hormuz, jointly with the United Kingdom.
Published on April 14 at 10:07, by Enora Foricher, 6Medias
