As tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, China’s role is under growing scrutiny. How far would Beijing go to support Iran — and where are the limits if conflict broke out with the US?

The mullahs have declared victory. Their thuggish Basij militiamen have retreated to their lairs. Municipal workers are scrubbing the blood from Tehran’s pavements.

Beijing is balancing vital energy interests with long-standing diplomatic principles and a cautious Middle East recalibration, analysts say.

China is currently constructing the Sarakhs railway terminal on the Turkmenistan–Iran border, a project expected to accelerate container transport along the China–Central Asia–Iran–Turkey–EU and Gulf routes. In August 2025, Iranian authorities reported that more than half of the project had been completed.

Claims that China carried out a large military airlift to Iran in late January spread quickly online. U.S. officials say the story is false and distracts from the more limited reality of Beijing’s

Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov discusses closer military cooperation with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun.

China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.

By Siyi Liu SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Chinese independent refiners are buying discounted Iranian heavy crude to replace Venezuelan shipments that have stalled after the U.S. claimed control of the OPEC producer last month,

Iran plans to hold joint naval exercises with China and Russia in the northern Indian Ocean region in mid-February, Iranian media reported on Saturday amid elevated tensions with the US.

China’s partnership with Iran is driven primarily by discounted oil and shared opposition to U.S. pressure, not ideological loyalty. Beijing’s extensive oil stockpiles and diversified suppliers reduce its exposure to disruptions in Iranian exports.