Syed Fazl-e-Haider is a contributing analyst at the South Asia desk of Wikistrat. He is a freelance columnist and the author of several books.
Iran recently began exporting oil from its new terminal at Jask port on the Gulf of Oman, a move that allows it to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. This new route could benefit China, which may now rely on the Iranian port to secure steady oil supplies amid any potential closure of the strait due to the Iran-Israel conflict. In addition, Pakistan's Gwadar port serves as another strategic asset for China in sustaining its oil imports from the Middle East.
