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Episode details

World Service,26 May 2026,8 mins

How Asia is adapting to getting less oil from Iran

What in the World

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. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden Video producer: Tim Hodges Editor: Verity Wilde

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