US Treasury's Bessent Says Chinese Ships Won't Be Allowed Via Hormuz: 'Not Going To Get Iranian Oil'

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 12:29 IST

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said no Chinese ships would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to access Iranian oil amid the ongoing conflict.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Chinese vessels would not be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to obtain Iranian oil as tensions linked to the ongoing conflict continue to disrupt global energy markets, Reuters reported.

Speaking to reporters, Bessent said US actions in the region would prevent China from accessing Iranian crude through the strategic waterway, a key global oil transit route.

LIVE Updates On The US-Iran War

“So they’re not going to be able to get their oil. They can get oil. Not Iranian oil," Bessent said, referring to the measures being enforced in the strait.

According to the report, the comments came as the United States stepped up pressure linked to the conflict involving Iran, with the strategic shipping route remaining central to global energy supplies.

Bessent said China had been purchasing more than 90 per cent of Iranian oil exports, which accounted for roughly 8 per cent of its total annual oil imports.

IMF AND WORLD BANK MOVING IN ‘CONSTRUCTIVE WAY’: BESSENT

Separately, Bessent said the International Monetary Fund and World Bank were now progressing in a “constructive way," AFP reported, marking a shift from criticism he made previously about the institutions’ priorities.

“The IMF is working on bringing Venezuela back in, to make it look more like a normal economy," Bessent said at an event in Washington.

He added that the fund could play a “very important role" in supporting economic normalisation efforts.

Bessent also pointed to what he described as a stronger direction at the World Bank, particularly in relation to energy policy and economic development priorities.

“World Bank leadership in terms of energy and unlocking resources and stability for the very poorest countries, I think, it’s back on a great trajectory," he said.

According to AFP, Bessent had last year criticised the IMF and World Bank for devoting attention to issues such as climate and gender, arguing that their central mandate should focus on economic expansion and poverty reduction.

On Tuesday, he said the World Bank had made a shift toward supporting “energy abundance" and returning to core economic priorities.

He described emphasis on social and climate-related themes as “luxury beliefs," reiterating his view that global financial institutions should prioritise growth-focused policies aimed at improving economic stability.

ALSO READ | Europe Mulls Post-War Coalition To Secure Strait of Hormuz, US Role May Be Excluded

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