Asian Oil Buyers Assess Stockpiles, Middle East Alternatives as Iran Conflict Escalates

An F/A-18F Super Hornet prepares to launch from the U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran February 28, 2026. U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS

By Heejin Kim and Nidhi Verma

Asian governments and refiners rushed to assess oil stockpiles as well as alternative shipping routes and supplies as the Iran conflict disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz, with oil prices expected to rise when trading resumes on Monday.

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