US Department of the Treasury claims that China’s Hengli Petrochemical Refinery was Iran’s largest buyer and indirectly provided significant financial support to the Iranian military. The US has also imposed sanctions on nearly 40 shipping companies and vessels allegedly part of Iran’s secretive oil network. Iranian Supreme Leader Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i claims that the US lacks the capability to impose a maritime blockade on Iran. In response, China has dismissed the move, stating that the US is politicizing trade and targeting Chinese companies.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, China relies heavily on the Middle East for its energy needs, with Iran accounting for over 80% of its oil exports last year. In response to the sanctions, the US has been blockading Iranian ports since April 13 to limit Iran’s oil revenue. An investigation into the matter has resulted in the detention of a professor and a graduate student for questioning.
Separately, the British media reported that a car bomb exploded outside a police station in the Hama region, killing one individual. At least 10 active-duty military personnel have lost their lives since the start of the year, with six reported fatalities in April alone. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will visit Pakistan after a trip to Oman.
In a separate incident, Indian Minister of State for Minorities Ramdas Athawale stated that Indian PM Narendra Modi’s vision is flourishing within the country. The visit by British King Charles III to the US has been impacted by a recent shooting incident in Washington. Israel has appointed its first ambassador to the self-declared state of Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia, following Israel’s recognition of the entity.
Tens of thousands of Hajj pilgrims continue to arrive in Saudi Arabia, with over 20,000 having reached Medina so far. The UAE has approved a package worth $1 billion to support its industrial sector. In Mali, a security guard was killed in an attack on a hotel in the city of Hama. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will visit Pakistan after a trip to Oman.
The UN has warned of the risk of human suffering due to the Strait of Hormuz blockade. US First Lady Jill Biden hosted a dinner at the White House before a local media interview, joking that “some bullets will be flying today” in reference to the situation. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will visit Pakistan after a trip to Oman.
