US urges China to dissuade Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz
[WASHINGTON] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (Jun 22) called on China to encourage Iran not to shut down the Strait of Hormuz after Washington carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Rubio's comments on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo show came after Iran's Press TV reported that the Iranian parliament approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 per cent of global oil and gas flows.
'I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,' said Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser.
'If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries' economies a lot worse than ours.'
Rubio said a move to close the strait would be a massive escalation that would merit a response from the US and others.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately provide a comment.
US officials said it 'obliterated' Iran's main nuclear sites using 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft. The strikes mark an escalation in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.
Tehran has vowed to defend itself. Rubio on Sunday warned against retaliation, saying such an action would be 'the worst mistake they have ever made'.
He added that the US is prepared to talk with Iran. REUTERS
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