https://www.scmp.com/rss/516034/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nilufer Oral Nilufer Oral On February 28, the United States and Israel bombed Iran. In response, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to the passage of all shipping. This has caused a crisis in energy supply chains, with serious economic consequences for countries, including Asian ones, that rely heavily on the strait for their energy supplies. To compound matters, US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping blockade of Iranian ports, which would impede the passage of all maritime traffic entering and exiting the strait.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3350493/passage-through-strait-hormuz-right-war-and-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3350493/passage-through-strait-hormuz-right-war-and-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Rubber glove makers have raised prices and warned of production cuts as the Iran war chokes supplies of key inputs, raising concerns for the healthcare sector. Glove makers have already hiked the average price of synthetic rubber gloves by around 40 per cent to as high as US$29 for a box ‌of 1,000, according to Oong Chun Sung, an equity research analyst at CIMB Securities. Sustained disruption to supply chains from the conflict could lead to glove shortages by late May, analysts at Malaysia’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350554/hospitals-face-glove-shortage-malaysian-makers-hike-prices-40?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350554/hospitals-face-glove-shortage-malaysian-makers-hike-prices-40?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 03:47:52 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is hoping further US-Iran talks will ease tensions in the Middle East and help reopen the Strait of Hormuz permanently, but there is also mounting anxiety over what a failure could mean for the country as summer approaches. On Friday, Iran said it would reopen the strait for commercial shipping following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, while US ⁠President Donald Trump added that a US naval blockade of Iran’s ports would ‌remain until a deal with Tehran was struck. The fear in Japan,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier In an apparent sign that Tehran blinked first in the blockade showdown between Iran and the US, the two sides announced on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was open and operational after nearly seven weeks that have seen hundreds of ships blocked and sent energy prices soaring worldwide. “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!” US President Donald Trump said on social media, using an unofficial name for the strategic waterway. Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350530/iran-us-say-strait-hormuz-fully-open-commercial-vessels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350530/iran-us-say-strait-hormuz-fully-open-commercial-vessels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:51:26 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman, as a US blockade continues to target vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm. The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime information provider based... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3350423/hong-kong-flagged-oil-tanker-passes-through-strait-hormuz-test-us-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:29:35 +0000 Fan Chen,Cao Jiaxuan Fan Chen,Cao Jiaxuan Japan has pledged US$10 billion to its Asian neighbours in energy support, in what analysts say is a strategic bid to counter China’s regional influence and position itself as a reliable partner as the Iran war upends global oil markets and supply chains. However, one observer argued that the move’s impact might be limited, given Japan’s inability to alter the ground realities in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries’ instinct for strategic hedging over picking sides. Unveiled by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350353/can-japans-us10b-energy-shield-oust-chinas-influence-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350353/can-japans-us10b-energy-shield-oust-chinas-influence-southeast-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:02:15 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Donald Trump’s claim that the US war with Iran is nearing an end reflects a desire to break the conflict’s deadlock to ease political pressure at home, according to analysts. Halfway into a two-week ceasefire and with a stand-off in the Strait of Hormuz, the US president was running out of time, they said, adding that a deal was still possible. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said the United States was “not done” but the six-week-old war was nearing the finish line. “I think it’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350201/trump-says-iran-war-close-over-he-just-out-options?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350201/trump-says-iran-war-close-over-he-just-out-options?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Iran’s small vessels may be able to challenge US blockade operations, Chinese analysts suggest, despite the heavy losses suffered by the Iranian navy during the opening weeks of the US-Israeli offensive. The United States launched a naval blockade on Monday targeting Iranian maritime trade, after peace talks in Pakistan failed over the weekend. US Central Command (Centcom) issued a formal notice on Sunday announcing that its forces would block “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350198/can-irans-small-fast-attack-boats-challenge-us-navy-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:01:22 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As the US imposes its own blockade on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of talks with Iran at the weekend, we take a look at how major economies in Asia and Europe could be affected by further restrictions on passage through one of the world’s most critical choke points for energy supplies. Who is most vulnerable in this energy crisis? According to a recent report by Japanese investment bank Nomura, the regions most exposed to the tensions in the Persian Gulf are Asian... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz might give it a strategic advantage over Iran, analysts said, but they warned that the increased pressure on Tehran might call the ceasefire into question and deepen the energy crisis. US Central Command said on Sunday that a blockade on ships “entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas” would take effect at 10am US Eastern Time on Monday along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. It also said it would not impede vessels crossing the Strait of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349933/us-blockade-strait-hormuz-easy-enough-them-do-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349933/us-blockade-strait-hormuz-easy-enough-them-do-what-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:28:05 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Stocks fell and oil surged on Monday as investors pared back their bets on risk assets after US President Donald Trump said American forces would block the Strait of Hormuz, escalating the war in the Middle East after talks between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict collapsed. All equity benchmarks in Asia bar China slid, amid renewed concerns that higher energy costs would derail growth after crude oil futures soared back above US$100 a barrel. Brent and West Texas Intermediate both... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349829/stocks-drop-and-oil-surges-back-above-us100-us-blockage-hormuz-escalates-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3349829/stocks-drop-and-oil-surges-back-above-us100-us-blockage-hormuz-escalates-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:54:27 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Almost immediately after an Iranian-US ceasefire was announced, Israel worked to sabotage it by carrying out massive bombings across Lebanon, causing hundreds of casualties. Really, who are the terrorists? Even so, it’s hard to see how the supposed two-week ceasefire could hold when each side is making maximalist demands. As many experts have observed, control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, is ultimately the sticking point. Donald Trump may not... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349824/irans-emergence-major-power-should-be-welcome-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3349824/irans-emergence-major-power-should-be-welcome-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:25:43 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints, in a move that risks deepening a global crisis and further complicating ties with Beijing in the countdown to next month’s summit. “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said in a social media post... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349813/blown-hell-trump-announces-us-blockade-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:10:08 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan’s energy security has long hinged on Middle Eastern oil. The Iran war simply exposed how breakable that lifeline had become. While a two-week ceasefire agreed on Tuesday promises some relief by reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic, analysts say the shock has laid bare vulnerabilities Tokyo cannot easily paper over. As an archipelago nation with no cross-border pipelines, Japan draws more than 95 per cent of its crude from the Middle East and routes the bulk of it through the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349679/japans-middle-east-oil-habit-gets-iran-war-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Dewey Sim Yuanyue Dang,Dewey Sim US President Donald Trump on Friday pressed Iran to meet US demands, as Vice-President J.D. Vance travelled to Pakistan to lead high-stakes negotiations seen as a key effort to end the more than month-long Middle East conflict. The talks between the US and Iran, taking place during the agreed two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, are expected to begin on Saturday morning in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Clouding the talks were Iranian demands, namely a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349714/us-presses-iran-talks-gear-pakistan-under-fragile-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349714/us-presses-iran-talks-gear-pakistan-under-fragile-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:24:00 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The Gulf’s six Arab monarchies, battered by Iranian drones and missiles because of a war they never wanted, are watching with trepidation to see what Pakistan-hosted US-Iran negotiations will yield for their collective future. After China and Russia vetoed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s bid to attain UN Security Council approval for “defensive” measures to force open the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, analysts say the GCC states have little sway over what is about to transpire in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng While the world remains divided over the unresolved issue of toll collection in the Strait of Hormuz, some Chinese experts have proposed pegging fees to oil prices or using exportable digital tokens from China for settlements. If tolls were to be imposed in this strategic chokepoint for global energy trade, settlement mechanisms could be “innovative”, said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University. “Tolls and settlements could be tied to oil prices or... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3349545/hormuz-toll-debate-china-experts-propose-innovative-solutions-impasse-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central fault line in US-Iran negotiations, with US President Donald Trump appearing to recast an earlier off-the-cuff idea into a more formal proposal that seeks to bridge Tehran’s push for dominance and Washington’s insistence on open passage. Following his Tuesday announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Trump on Wednesday told the American Broadcasting Company that his administration may seek a “joint venture” with Iran to safeguard the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s foreign minister confirmed on Wednesday the deaths of three Thai crew members of a cargo ship struck by Iran while transiting the Strait of Hormuz a month ago. US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February prompted Tehran to respond by effectively closing the strait, a crucial artery for global oil supplies, and launching attacks on vessels. The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck on March 11 while travelling through the Gulf waterway, after departing a port in the United Arab... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349409/thailand-confirms-deaths-3-cargo-ship-crew-gulf-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:40:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday welcomed two French nationals who returned to Paris after spending almost four years detained in Iran on espionage charges, with the French leader hailing “the end of a terrible ordeal”. Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72, arrived on a commercial flight, landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris shortly before 9am. They were met on the tarmac by foreign ministry officials. Macron greeted the pair in the gardens of the Elysee Palace. They appeared... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349406/macron-greets-french-detainees-back-paris-after-terrible-ordeal-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349406/macron-greets-french-detainees-back-paris-after-terrible-ordeal-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:21:02 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran has allowed two French former detainees, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, to leave the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday. They had been holed up in French diplomatic premises there since their release from prison. “Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris are free and en route towards French territory, after three and a half years of detention in Iran,” Macron posted on social media. The green light for them to leave Iran, long sought by France, signalled how Iran is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349300/iran-allows-2-french-former-detainees-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349300/iran-allows-2-french-former-detainees-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:30:58 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Tehran’s decision to let Malaysia-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz highlighted Iran’s growing use of access to the strategic waterway as leverage, analysts said, with only a limited number of ships now able to pass and access increasingly determined by political ties rather than treated as a neutral commercial right. For Malaysia, the move drew attention not only to Tehran’s close ties with Putrajaya but also to scrutiny surrounding sanction-sensitive oil trade and ship-to-ship... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349284/iran-does-not-forget-its-friends-malaysia-ships-pass-hormuz-amid-selective-access?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:52:57 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen As US President Donald Trump issued further threats pressuring Iran into striking a peace deal, the two sides stood far apart amid a trust deficit, a guarantor vacuum and Israel’s role, analysts said. Trump extended the deadline for a deal calling on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Tuesday 8pm Washington time – his third time doing so since the war began on February 28. Trump escalated the threats on Tuesday, saying: “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349277/what-must-happen-us-and-iran-reach-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349277/what-must-happen-us-and-iran-reach-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:20:41 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok The Strait of Hormuz blockage is being felt far and wide. While the world struggles with higher pump prices, key energy exporters such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar face severe economic setbacks. In Gulf states serving as air hubs, expats and affluent locals are scrambling for the exit. The discovery of oil transformed Arabian deserts into rich petro-states. Knowing this wealth would not flow forever, the states leveraged their strategic locations to become air traffic hubs.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan France and Germany have ramped up diplomatic efforts to contain the fallout from an escalating Middle East oil crisis, seeking to project European autonomy and distance themselves from the US-Israeli war on Iran. But as the conflict entered its second month, analysts said this was more about damage control than a leadership bid. They said while Berlin and Paris were at the forefront of calls for de-escalation they had limited room for manoeuvre given their security dependence on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349142/strait-hormuz-are-france-and-germany-just-out-manage-their-irrelevance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349142/strait-hormuz-are-france-and-germany-just-out-manage-their-irrelevance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The Japanese government is arranging summit talks with Iran, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday, with tensions mounting in the Middle East as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz approaches. “We are preparing dialogues at the leadership level at an appropriate time,” Takaichi told a parliamentary committee when asked by an opposition lawmaker about Japan’s diplomatic efforts regarding the US-Israeli war with Iran. “Japan will make every effort... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349124/japans-takaichi-seeks-urgent-summit-iran-trumps-hormuz-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349124/japans-takaichi-seeks-urgent-summit-iran-trumps-hormuz-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:32:07 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump did not take a break from his polarising rhetoric on Easter Sunday, delivering an expletive-laden attack on Iran that sparked criticism on Capitol Hill and beyond. “Open the F****n Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” the president wrote early on Sunday, renewing his threat to unleash heavy bombing on Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran refused to unblock the strategic Strait of Hormuz. “Praise be to Allah,” Trump added,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:45:02 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The whole world has come to oppose the Iran war, including most Americans. Just as Israel took part in the 1956 Suez crisis, which signalled the last hurrah of European imperialism, it is now jointly prosecuting a pointless but destructive war that is likely to spell the twilight of American hegemony. This time, though, the Jewish state won’t get away so easily. From the Palestinian territories to Iran and Lebanon, it can no longer hide its Zionist expansionism that threatens the entire... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348754/twilight-us-hegemony-and-israeli-expansionism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348754/twilight-us-hegemony-and-israeli-expansionism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A French container ship and a Japanese-owned tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appear to be the first such transits since the war in Iran closed the crucial waterway. The CMA CGM Kribi container ship exited the strait on Friday, according to ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and two people familiar with the situation. That is the first ship linked to western Europe that is known to have made it through since the war began more than a month ago. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349004/iran-war-french-and-japanese-owned-ships-make-first-strait-hormuz-crossings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:32:11 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen In a rare condemnation of its strategic partner, China has come out in opposition to Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, calling for a ceasefire and a guarantee of the safety of shipping lanes. Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said: “China does not support Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council nations and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians and non-military targets. The security of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia has so far been spared the worst of the regional energy crunch, but experts say the government needs to move quickly and take more aggressive measures to prevent a worsening economic crisis if the Iran war becomes a drawn-out conflict. Much of Southeast Asia has been hit hard by the energy crisis, with thousands of motorists ditching their vehicles over the lack of fuel and governments burning through billions of dollars and scrambling to find alternative fuel sources to rein in prices... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348948/malaysia-urged-take-more-aggressive-action-tackle-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348948/malaysia-urged-take-more-aggressive-action-tackle-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:16 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering global relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Iran’s exiled prince Reza Pahlavi plans to flip the script on Beijing Allies of exiled Iranian royal Reza Pahlavi signalled a potential reset in Tehran’s ties with China and Russia, as the 65-year-old increasingly positioned himself as a central figure in Iran’s political future – a claim that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348584/chinas-iran-war-strategy-trumps-hormuz-ask-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348584/chinas-iran-war-strategy-trumps-hormuz-ask-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:00:09 +0000 dpa dpa Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticised the US war against his country in an open letter to the people of the United States on Wednesday, calling it an absurd operation that is costly for their nation. “Today, the world stands at a crossroads,” the president wrote in his message. “Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before.” While Iran had seen many aggressors throughout its history, “All that remains of them are tarnished names in history, while... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348721/irans-president-sends-message-americans-unusual-open-letter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348721/irans-president-sends-message-americans-unusual-open-letter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:38:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistan is hoping that its role in building a diplomatic off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran will enable it to become a key actor in the Middle East after the conflict ends, analysts say. If Islamabad can deliver without being sucked into the maelstrom, it can capitalise on its position as peacemaker by signing defence deals with Gulf monarchies and attracting investment from them to strengthen its weak economy. This will help finance Pakistan’s military expansion for its envisioned new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:21:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump on Tuesday urged countries that did not help in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran to buy American oil and go to ‌the Strait of Hormuz and “just TAKE it”. Trump singled out Britain and France as unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices and seen Iran effectively close oil ⁠tanker traffic through the Strait. “All of those countries that can’t ‌get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which ‌refused... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348566/trump-urges-countries-go-strait-hormuz-and-just-take-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348566/trump-urges-countries-go-strait-hormuz-and-just-take-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:22:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Gulf allies of the United States, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are urging President Donald Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran, arguing that Tehran has not been weakened enough by the month-long US-led bombing campaign, according to US, Gulf and Israeli officials. After private grumbling at the start of the war that they were not given adequate advance notice of the US-Israeli attack and complaining the US had ignored their warnings that the war would have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348490/gulf-allies-want-trump-prolong-us-bombardment-iran-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348490/gulf-allies-want-trump-prolong-us-bombardment-iran-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:16:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The White House announced last week that US President Donald Trump’s visit to China has been delayed to mid-May, citing the conflict in Iran. Beijing’s response has been muted: the Foreign Ministry noted only that the two sides “have remained in communication” over the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348393/unfinished-business-delay-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348393/unfinished-business-delay-trumps-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced confidence on Monday that Iran’s Islamic republic would eventually fall, though he again said that was not the objective of the US-Israeli war on the country. “I think this regime will collapse internally. But at the moment, right now, what we’re doing is just degrading their military capacity, degrading their missile capacity, degrading their nuclear capacity and also weakening them from the inside,” Netanyahu told conservative US broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348461/irans-islamic-republic-will-collapse-internally-says-netanyahu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348461/irans-islamic-republic-will-collapse-internally-says-netanyahu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:36:53 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In the days after the United States and Israel tipped the Middle East into a new and catastrophic crisis with their attacks on Iran, European leaders were all over the map. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz both voiced support for regime change in Iran soon after the strikes started more than four weeks ago. Each of them also questioned the continued utility of the international rules-based order, while Merz’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday, ship-tracking data showed. The critical waterway has effectively been shut since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28. The vessels ‌sailed in close formation out of the strait and into open waters, data on the MarineTraffic platform showed. “Both vessels successfully crossed on a second attempt today, marking the first container vessels to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:27:59 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday she will consider holding talks with the Iranian leadership at an “appropriate” time based on the national interest as tensions remain high in the Middle East. Takaichi’s remarks come as prospects for a US-Iran meeting mediated by Pakistan remain uncertain, with US President Donald Trump later renewing threats to hit Iranian energy infrastructure if a deal is not reached. “I will judge the appropriate timing for holding talks based on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348442/japans-pm-will-mull-top-level-talks-iran-appropriate-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348442/japans-pm-will-mull-top-level-talks-iran-appropriate-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:54:55 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo It’s called the fundamental formula of accounting. During a friendly chitchat between Jiang Zemin and Bill Clinton, perhaps to show how seriously China was liberalising its economy, the Chinese communist leader reportedly showed off his knowledge of modern capitalism by citing assets = liabilities + equities. Today, Xi Jinping might also quote the formula to his counterpart Donald Trump, the self-styled ultimate deal maker. After all, the formula shows one person’s asset is another person’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3348306/iran-has-shown-wests-containment-china-fools-errand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3348306/iran-has-shown-wests-containment-china-fools-errand?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump denied on Thursday that he was desperate for a deal with Iran, swinging between threats and diplomacy, while presenting a series of “boats of oil” that reportedly made it through the blocked Strait of Hormuz as an Iranian “gift” – a reveal that he teased a day earlier. This comes as the war he and Israel launched against Iran approaches the one-month mark with little end in sight, driving oil prices up globally and further unsettling the global economy. “I read a story... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348058/trump-claims-iran-begging-make-deal-teases-new-aid-farmers-amid-war-fallout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:59:13 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A visit by a top American official to India this week has raised expectations that bilateral defence ties are getting “back on track” amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. But analysts warn that both sides are unlikely to reach full agreement on New Delhi’s energy and security concerns, while the US-Israeli war against Iran could unsettle the relationship. Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby said India would play a central role in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347980/india-and-us-seek-reset-defence-ties-iran-war-threatens-be-wild-card?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:07:43 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The US-Israeli war in Iran could weaken the US dollar’s historic dominance in the oil-rich Middle East and bolster a “petroyuan” alternative backed by China’s currency, according to analysts at a leading European bank. Fallout from the nearly month-long conflict was testing the “foundations of the petrodollar regime”, while damage to Gulf economies “could encourage an unwind in their foreign asset savings”, Deutsche Bank analysts said in a research note published on Tuesday. “If the Gulf moves... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347893/iran-war-could-boost-chinas-petroyuan-and-weaken-us-dollar-dominance-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347893/iran-war-could-boost-chinas-petroyuan-and-weaken-us-dollar-dominance-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:41 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including strikes that hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire. Iran’s defiance came as Israel launched air strikes on Tehran and as the United States deployed paratroopers and more Marines to the region. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347913/iran-rejects-us-ceasefire-plan-issues-own-demands-strikes-land-across-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347913/iran-rejects-us-ceasefire-plan-issues-own-demands-strikes-land-across-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:50:01 +0000 Mia Nurmamat,Carol Yang Mia Nurmamat,Carol Yang The second Chinese-owned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier has transited the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to industry sources and vessel-tracking data, amid conflicting claims over access to the vital trade corridor. Tehran has largely blocked the strategic waterway in retaliation for Washington and Tel Aviv’s strikes, causing widespread disruption to global shipping – though Iranian officials have recently promised safe passage for vessels... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347860/china-owned-vessel-secures-rare-strait-hormuz-transit-iran-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347860/china-owned-vessel-secures-rare-strait-hormuz-transit-iran-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:35 +0000 Nong Hong Nong Hong Gulf exporters are scrambling to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after Iran choked off most of the maritime traffic in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rushed to divert exports through overland pipelines; officials warned that even naval escorts could not guarantee safe passage. About a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade passed through this narrow waterway. The immediate shock was felt in the Gulf. The strategic... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347190/conflict-middle-east-boosting-value-arctic-windfall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Fan Chen,Mark Magnier,Alyssa Chen Fan Chen,Mark Magnier,Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump teased on Tuesday that Iran had made an energy-related concession involving the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as “positive”, without providing details. “They gave us a present and the present arrived today, and it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of ⁠money,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “It wasn’t nuclear, it was ‌oil-and gas-related, and it was a very nice thing they did.” This came as analysts expressed scepticism that backchannel... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347742/are-efforts-broker-peace-deal-between-iran-and-us-doomed-fail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347742/are-efforts-broker-peace-deal-between-iran-and-us-doomed-fail?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Chenjie Song Chenjie Song Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s press conference at the annual “two sessions” on March 8 was the Chinese government’s most authoritative statement on the war on Iran since strikes began on February 28. Wang called the war one that “should not have happened” and offered five principles for resolution: respect for sovereignty, rejection of force, non-interference in internal affairs, political settlement and goodwill among major powers. Diplomatic language aside, Wang named no concrete enforcement... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347043/when-it-comes-persian-gulf-chinas-top-priority-economics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347043/when-it-comes-persian-gulf-chinas-top-priority-economics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:30:10 +0000