Lavrov points at U.S.
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov publicly blamed U.S. actions for creating threats in the Strait of Hormuz, remarks that circulated widely on social feeds. (x.com)
Sergey Lavrov said in Beijing on April 15 that the danger in the Strait of Hormuz was created by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, not by Iran alone. (iz.ru) Lavrov made the remark at a press conference during a two-day visit to China, where he met Foreign Minister Wang Yi as Washington enforced a blockade on shipping to and from Iranian ports. (reuters.com) United States Central Command said on April 12 that the blockade would start on April 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern time and would apply to vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, while allowing passage to non-Iranian ports through the strait. (news.usni.org) The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow sea lane between Iran and Oman that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. In 2024, about 20 million barrels a day of oil moved through it, roughly one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption. (britannica.com) (eia.gov) That traffic matters most in Asia: the International Energy Agency says about 80 percent of the oil moving through Hormuz is headed there, and China imports about one-third of its oil through the route. (iea.org) (aljazeera.com) China has publicly taken a line close to Moscow’s on the cause of the disruption. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on April 13 that the “root cause” of blocked passage in Hormuz was the military conflict and that the way out was a ceasefire. (mfa.gov.cn) Washington has framed its move differently. President Donald Trump said the blockade was meant to stop Iran from collecting tolls and restricting commerce after peace talks in Pakistan failed to produce a deal. (cnbc.com) The U.S. military also moved destroyers into the area and said it was working to clear sea mines and establish a new merchant route. USNI News reported that USS Frank E. Petersen and USS Michael Murphy transited the strait on April 11. (news.usni.org) Lavrov’s comments fit Russia’s broader line since early April. At a Moscow news conference on April 3, he said Washington should stop fighting Iran instead of “talking about the problem” of Hormuz. (mid.ru) (globalsecurity.org) By April 15, oil prices were still rising as shipping through Hormuz remained constrained, even as new United States-Iran talks were being discussed. Lavrov’s point in Beijing was that Moscow wants the blame for that crisis fixed on Washington. (reuters.com)
