U.S. Asks China to Urge Iran to Change Actions in Gulf

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is asking China to urge Iran to alter its behavior in the Persian Gulf. In an interview aired May 13, 2026, Rubio told Fox News that the White House is working to convince Beijing to press Tehran to "change course" in the region.

The comments came one day after Rubio was photographed speaking with a White House official ahead of a presidential trip to Beijing.

Rubio did not specify in the interview which exact Iranian actions or plans prompted the U.S. request. He framed the diplomatic outreach as part of efforts to stabilize the region, according to the Al-Monitor report on his remarks. The Persian Gulf is a critical route for global oil shipments.

China is Iran's largest trading partner and remains a major buyer of Iranian oil, a relationship that has persisted despite U.S. sanctions. Rubio's statements indicate the administration believes Beijing's economic ties could provide leverage that Washington lacks directly. The secretary stopped short of detailing any incentives or pressure points the U.S. is offering China to cooperate.

Previous U.S. attempts to align Beijing against Tehran have produced limited results, as China has continued to prioritize its energy imports and strategic partnership with Iran. Rubio provided no new intelligence, timeline for expected Iranian changes, or publicly released evidence documenting specific Iranian maritime incidents in the interview.

The vessels' operators have not been publicly identified by the U.S. government in the remarks covered by the sources. Iran's foreign ministry has not commented as of the date of Rubio's interview.