As Trump met Xi, China was already sailing under Iran’s rules

Just before Donald Trump sat down with Xi Jinping in Beijing, Iranian news outlets reported a significant development in the Strait of Hormuz: Chinese vessels had begun transiting the waterway under Iran’s newly enforced management protocol. This was not a routine passage. The ships were operating in full coordination with Iranian authorities, providing pre-arrival information, complying with safety and environmental requirements, and paying administrative fees for upkeep and oversight. The move marks a quiet but important victory for Tehran in asserting its legal and practical authority over one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. The Strait of Hormuz remains the single most important oil transit route on the planet. Roughly one-fifth of global crude oil passes through its narrow […]