Russia has warned the US blockade of Iranian ports could unsettle markets, as Lavrov’s China visit puts Middle East tensions high on the agenda, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Russia has warned that the United States’ move to block maritime traffic linked to Iranian ports is likely to hit global markets, as tensions in the Gulf deepen and Moscow prepares for high-level talks with China on regional flashpoints, including the Middle East crisis.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the expected disruption from the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would almost certainly weigh on international markets. Speaking at a regular media briefing in Moscow, he said the consequences were likely to be negative, while also stressing that key details of the American move remained unclear.
“Most likely, such actions will continue to negatively impact international markets; this can be assumed with a high degree of certainty,” Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s Tass news agency.
He added that Moscow was not in a position to offer a full assessment of the US decision because important aspects remained uncertain. “Many details here remain unclear and incomprehensible, so I would refrain from any substantive comments at this time,” he said.
The comments came after Washington announced that it would begin enforcing a sweeping maritime blockade from April 13, targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. The move marks a sharp escalation after talks between the United States and Iran failed to produce agreement on major disputes, including Tehran’s nuclear programme.
According to the US Central Command, the blockade will apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports”, including those in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The command said the measure would be enforced against vessels of all nations, while claiming that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports would not be obstructed.
The blockade, which was due to take effect at 7.30 pm IST on Monday, has raised alarm because the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoints. Any disruption there is likely to unsettle oil and shipping markets far beyond the region.
Against that backdrop, Russia also announced that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to China for a two-day official visit beginning Tuesday. During the trip, he will hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with the agenda expected to cover bilateral cooperation, multilateral coordination and major international crises.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the discussions would span a “wide range” of issues, including cooperation in the United Nations, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the G20 and APEC. It added that a detailed exchange of views was expected on the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the Middle East.
