US President Donald Trump has announced he is "permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz".
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: "China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.
"I am doing it for them, also - And the World. This situation will never happen again.
"They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks. We are working together smartly, and very well!
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
"Doesn’t that beat fighting??? BUT REMEMBER, we are very good at fighting, if we have to - far better than anyone else!!! President DJT."
The US military had claimed earlier today that it has "maritime superiority in the Middle East" since they blocked the key shipping route at 3pm on Monday.
Iranian news agency Mehr News reported that Tehran will use alternative ports to those in southern Iran to avoid the US blockade.
China had already defied Mr Trump when they sent a tanker through the Strait of Hormuz while slamming the US blockade as “dangerous and irresponsible."
Donald Trump has confirmed he will permanently open the Strait of Hormuz on Truth Social
|GETTY
The vessel, called Rich Starry, sailing under the Malawi flag is owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd.
The tanker was sanctioned by the United States, but passed through the critical shipping lane with no issues on Tuesday.
The US previously sanctioned the ship as it was transporting Iranian crude oil.
The tanker held roughly 250,000 barrels of methanol, according to shipping data, loading the cargo at its last port of call, Hamriyah in the UAE.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTSÂ
Donald Trump's has permanently opened the Strait of Hormuz, saying Xi Jinping will give him a 'big, fat hug' (stock image)
| GETTYChina’s foreign ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun criticised the blockade at a press conference on Tuesday, saying: “The US side has stepped up its military deployment and taken targeted blockade actions.
“It will only intensify the conflict, increase tension, disrupt the already fragile cease-fire situation, and further impact the safety of strait traffic.
“This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour."
The blockade came about following a breakdown in talks between the US and Iran over the weekend.
Vice President JD Vance, who headed the American negotiating team in Islamabad, stated on Monday evening that Iran's nuclear programme represented a firm boundary for President Trump.
"We actually made very clear what our red lines were," Mr Vance told Fox News.
"There are two things in particular where the president of the US really said we have no flexibility."
Mr Vance acknowledged that Iranian negotiators had shifted towards the US position during the talks, "but they didn't move far enough."
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter