US and China agreeUS and China agree to oppose Iranian shipping tolls in Strait of Hormuz
US and Chinese officials agreed on Tuesday that no country can impose shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the State Department.
The pact aims to pressure Iran to relinquish control over the vital waterway. This rare alignment between the two powers signals efforts to stabilize a key global oil chokepoint amid tensions with Iran.
- Iran's parliament approved a Hormuz closure bill in 2018 amid U.S. sanctions but never enacted it.
- The strait averages just 33 km wide, with shipping lanes only 3 km across in each direction.
- Tanker attacks near Hormuz in 2019 heightened fears of global oil supply disruptions.
US-Iran Ceasefire War
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on June 26, 2026, in response to a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire agreement signed just days earlier[2][4][14].
26 June, 09:35 PM
US launches strikes against Iran following commercial ship attack26 June, 04:47 PM
Trump calls Iran drone attack on cargo ship a ceasefire violation
