Tehran says the Hormuz Strait, through which one-fifth of global oil exports normally pass, is open to all except the US and its allies. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi told the US network CBS that Tehran has been “approached by a number of countries” seeking safe passage for their vessels, “and this is up to our military to decide”. At least 10 oil tankers have been hit, targeted, or have reported attacks since the start of the conflict on February 28, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and Iraqi and Iranian authorities. With crude oil prices hovering at about $100 a barrel, Trump administration officials insisted that all signs point to a relatively quick ⁠end to the conflict. About 1,000 oil tankers are currently stranded and unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. “I don’t think China’s going to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn’t need to, because Iranian oil is flowing to China quite nicely,” Slavin told Al Jazeera.