US Urges China to Dissuade Iran from Closing Strait of Hormuz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not 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% 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, Reuters reported.
"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.
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Arab News
2 hours ago
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What is behind the biggest surge in internal displacement ever recorded?
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'The data is clear — it's now time to use it to prevent displacement, support recovery, and build resilience,' Bilak said. The global surge in internal displacement was felt across every region in 2024, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement. An internally displaced person is someone forced to flee their home to escape conflict, persecution, or disaster. But unlike refugees, they remain within their country's borders. Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter of this global surge, home to 38.8 million internally displaced persons — making up almost 46 percent of the global total. All 23 countries in the region that experienced conflict-related displacement also suffered from disaster-induced movements, compounding already dire humanitarian needs. In the Middle East and North Africa, conflict-related displacement also surged — particularly in the Gaza Strip, where conflict has raged since October 2023. 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Despite ongoing challenges, UNHCR continues to provide lifesaving support — including shelter, healthcare, psychosocial services, and cash assistance — while also working with regional partners to coordinate a broader response to displacement. In a rare sign of progress, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024, including 1.6 million refugees — the most in more than two decades — and 8.2 million internally displaced persons — the second highest yet recorded. However, many of these returns occurred under difficult political and security conditions. A large number of Afghans, for example, were forced to return to Afghanistan in 2024, often arriving in dire circumstances. In countries such as Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and South Sudan, new displacements unfolded even as others returned. 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Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
What do we know about US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities?
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President Trump declared the mission's success, stating that the Fordo facility was 'gone,' and Iran's primary nuclear enrichment sites 'completely and utterly destroyed.' Later on Sunday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes were an incredible and overwhelming success that have 'obliterated Tehran's nuclear ambitions.' For its part, Iran's Tasnim News Agency quoted an official saying the nuclear sites had been evacuated in advance, and the damage was 'not irreparable.' The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran stated there was 'no risk of any radiation leak.' Iran emphasized its nuclear industry would not be halted.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
UN chief warns of cycle of retaliation after US bombs Iran
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday against yet 'another cycle of destruction' and retaliation following the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, which he said marked a 'perilous turn' in the region. 'I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,' the secretary-general told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. 'The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.' Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also called for restraint as he voiced fears over 'potential widening' of the conflict. 'We have a window of opportunity to return to dialogue and diplomacy. If that window closes, violence and destruction could reach unthinkable levels and the global non-proliferation regime as we know it could crumble and fall,' Grossi said. Speaking to the Security Council by video link, he said there were visible craters at Iran's key Fordo nuclear facility, 'indicating the use by the United States of America of ground-penetrating munitions.' But Grossi noted that no one had been able to assess the underground damage at Fordo. He added that 'armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.'
