Iran has begun allowing certain Chinese ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran and China reached an understanding on rules for controlling and managing shipping in the strategic waterway, BTA reports.
The information was disseminated by the semi-official Iranian Fars news agency and quoted by Reuters.
The decision comes after US President Donald Trump, during his official visit to Beijing, reached an agreement with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open for the free flow of energy resources.
According to Iranian officials, Tehran took this step in response to requests from Chinese diplomats, including China's foreign minister and ambassador to Iran. The facilitated passage of Chinese ships is part of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
It is not yet clear to what extent this decision changes the real situation in the region, as Iran had previously stated that vessels of countries not involved in the conflict, especially those linked to China, can pass through the strait after coordination with the Iranian armed forces.
Yesterday, a Chinese supertanker loaded with two million barrels of Iraqi crude oil successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz after being blocked in the Persian Gulf for more than two months due to the war between the United States and Iran.
After the beginning of the American and Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran introduced strict restrictions on maritime traffic through the strait. The subsequent American blockade of Iranian ports further complicated the situation in this key route, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade passes.