Clinton: China, India Hold Key to West Asia Conflict
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- Hillary Clinton said India and China could help resolve the West Asia conflict if Trump uses "diplomacy instead of bluster," pointing to them as the largest buyers of Iranian oil and gas.
- China is "far ahead" in banking Iranian fossil fuels in tankers and building reserves, but Clinton noted Beijing "is going to need Iran" — giving it real leverage over Tehran.
- The West Asia conflict began February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran; a June interim peace agreement collapsed last month with fresh strikes from both sides.
- The Strait of Hormuz is the key sticking point — shipping has been disrupted by the war, and roughly a fifth of the world's energy supplies passed through the Gulf chokepoint in normal times.
- Pakistan, Oman and Qatar are among countries trying to mediate between the U.S. and Iran, alongside the China-India pressure route Clinton proposed.
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions on Iran, warning every nation doing business with Tehran to sever ties or face retaliation; Tehran has threatened a military response.
- Clinton said she would impose secondary sanctions on China unless it helps reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore the status quo ante, even as Trump vowed on August 20 to launch the "most crushing economic operation" against Iran if no deal is reached.
Why it matters: Clinton's pitch repositions China as the swing player in a conflict that began February 28 with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran: as Iran's top oil buyer, Beijing holds leverage to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Bessent's new sanctions and Trump's August 20 'most crushing economic operation' threat risk pushing China toward economic confrontation rather than cooperation.
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