
What in the World
What in the World
How Asia is adapting to getting less oil from Iran
26 May 2026
9 minutes
Available for over a year
The war in Iran is doing something years of climate summits haven’t managed to - pushing some countries towards renewable energy, fast.
That’s because ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have been pretty much blocked for months, since the war began. Thousands of oil tankers are stranded near the Strait, which is one of the world’s most important channels.
And it’s particularly affecting Asia. The majority of the crude oil passing through the Strait is headed to Asian markets. Energy prices there are soaring and there are fears of shortages and blackouts across the region.
Shawn Yuan from the BBC’s Global China Unit takes us through how some countries are accelerating their search for alternative energy sources.
Plus, we hear from Tri Wahyuni, from BBC News Indonesian and BBC reporter Thuong Le who tells us how Vietnam is coping.
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Video producer: Tim Hodges
Editor: Verity Wilde
