The United States and China have more common ground than disagreement over Iran, as both countries oppose a nuclear-armed Tehran and have an interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Newsmax. “In terms of China, we have more in common with China on Iran than we disagree on,” Bessent told Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight” on Tuesday. “We both agree that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. We agree that the Strait of Hormuz must be open for free navigation.”
China is a crucial factor in the administration’s attempt to squeeze Iran economically because Beijing has been a major buyer of Iranian oil. Bessent acknowledged those purchases but said the amount of Iranian crude currently at sea is dwindling. “The Chinese have been buying Iranian oil, but there are only about 30 million barrels of Iranian oil left on the water that will run out,” he said. His comments suggest the administration believes restricting Iran’s ability to replenish oil shipments could sharply reduce one of Tehran’s most important sources of revenue even without a complete break between Beijing and Tehran.
