A diplomatic chasm emerged Friday between Washington and Beijing over the escalating confrontation with Iran, as President Donald Trump claimed Xi Jinping agreed that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Chinese officials issued a statement declaring the "war should never have started."The contradictory narratives underscored the fragility of U.S.-China cooperation on a crisis threatening global oil supplies and risking broader regional conflagration. Trump told reporters at the White House that during a phone call with the Chinese president, both leaders agreed Iran must lift its blockade of the strategic waterway through which roughly 21 percent of global petroleum passes daily."President Xi and I are in complete agreement," Trump said. "Iran must open the strait immediately. There can be no negotiation on this."Within hours, however, Beijing's Foreign Ministry released a statement that appeared to distance China from any joint pressure campaign against Iran. "China believes dialogue is the only path forward," the statement read. "The current crisis stems from the decision to initiate military action. The focus must be on de-escalation, not ultimatums."The diplomatic disconnect carries significant implications beyond the immediate crisis. China imports approximately 10 million barrels of oil per day, with nearly 40 percent transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Yet Beijing has cultivated close economic and strategic ties with Iran over the past decade, including a 25-year cooperation agreement signed in 2021 worth an estimated $400 billion.To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. The Trump administration's abandonment of the 2015 nuclear agreement and subsequent campaign set the stage for 's increasingly aggressive posture. , meanwhile, has positioned itself as a mediator in multiple regional conflicts, including brokering the surprise - détente in 2023.Energy analysts warned that the impasse between and complicates any coordinated international response. said , director of energy security studies at the -based International Institute for Strategic Studies.Oil futures spiked 4.2 percent following news of the diplomatic divide, with Brent crude closing at $94.50 per barrel. Several Asian economies, including , , and , have appealed for international coordination to prevent supply disruptions that could trigger recession across the region.The White House declined to clarify the discrepancy between Trump's characterization of the call and 's statement. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the difference might stem from though foreign policy veterans expressed skepticism of that explanation. has maintained its blockade of the strait for six days, following U.S. airstrikes on Revolutionary Guard facilities. insists it will lift restrictions only after agrees to a ceasefire and the withdrawal of additional carrier strike groups deployed to the region.