US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday pressed China to ramp up diplomatic pressure on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz even as he stressed that the US has “absolute control” over the strategic waterway.
“Let’s see [China] step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview.
“Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism and China has been buying 90 per cent of their energy, so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism.”
Bessent’s call came just ahead of US President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated trip to China – scheduled for May 14-16 – with Iran expected to be on the agenda.
Asked whether the situation in Iran complicated the visit, the Treasury chief only said Trump has “exchanged correspondence” with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the conflict and that the leaders’ summit would offer the chance for both sides to trade views in person.
“We’ve had great stability in the relationship and again, that comes from the two leaders having great respect for each other,” he said.
But Bessent also told Fox News that “if they want to be good global citizens”, Beijing could join hands with other countries at the UN, in reference to an April UN Security Council resolution aimed at protecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz that China and Russia vetoed.
“The threat of attacks from Iran has closed the strait. We are reopening it. So I would urge the Chinese to join us in supporting this international operation,” he said.
Trump on Sunday said the US would launch an effort starting Monday to “guide” ships that are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, an initiative that would involve guided-missile destroyers and aircraft.
Fox News on Monday quoted Trump as saying that Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if they attacked US vessels on the mission dubbed Project Freedom.
Also on Monday, Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, said the US destroyed six Iranian boats and that its forces “effectively engaged” all “missiles and drones that were fired at both us and the commercial ships”. Iran has denied that claim.
“US forces are helping the international community in restoring the flow of global commerce, while the IRGC, on the other hand, is doing everything it can to terrorise and threaten commercial shipping,” he said, referring to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!” Trump wrote on social media.
Iran’s effective blockade of the strait, in response to American and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has sent oil prices soaring and disrupted global supply chains.
In the Fox News interview, Bessent also sought to project some confidence in US efforts against Iran, telling Fox News that “we have absolute control of the strait” and that the Iranian economy was “in free-fall”.
“This is a ragtag band of pirates,” he said of Tehran. “We are saying, for the good of the international community, let these ships out. And we are expecting our international partners to engage in the same thing.”
