Category: Iran

China’s Teapots Buy Iranian Oil to Replace Venezuelan Supply, Sources Say

By Siyi Liu 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, two people with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.

Chinese Analysts: Iran Will Endure External Pressure, Even as Internal Strains Mount

For weeks, even as protests rocked the streets of Iran with Donald Trump’s constant military threats, the prevailing narrative from Chinese scholarship was one of endurance; Tehran would not break as easily as the world imagined. That prediction held firm even ...

China’s Low-Key Response to the Iran Crisis

China was among the first and most vocal opponents of the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro. Curiously, though, when U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to launch military strikes against Iran as Tehran dealt with ...

China’s Heavy Reliance on Iranian Oil Imports

China, the world's largest crude importer, is the main buyer of oil from OPEC producer Iran, leaving Beijing uniquely exposed to any supply disruption from conflict in the Middle East. Beijing, which is also the biggest buyer of ...

As Iran Faces Its Gravest Crisis in Decades, China Stays on the Sidelines

China’s relationship with the Middle East is a perennial topic in discussions about China’s role in the Global South, especially at moments of crisis. Now, despite its publicly touted close relationship, as the Islamic Republic faces perhaps the most serious crisis in its 45 year history, including ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Confusing Developments in “Development”

This week I’m in Brussels, where I took part in a workshop on how the EU should shape its development strategy in response to China’s global influence.
I have joked in the past that it feels like I’ve attended this same ‘EU, Africa, and External Development Partners’ conference for ten years straight. 

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Russia, China Unlikely to Back Iran Against U.S. Military Threats

By Fabien Zamora with Ludovic Ehret in Beijing While Russia and China are ready to back protest-rocked Iran under threat by U.S. President Donald Trump, that support would diminish in the face of U.S. military action, experts told AFP.

Iran Is Not Going to be the Next Venezuela, Says Chinese Scholar

As Iran undergoes another wave of political protests, a question has been circulating on Chinese social media: could Iran become “the next Venezuela”? The speculation gained traction after the United States took action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, combined with increasingly tough rhetoric on Iran from U.S. ...

U.S. Expands Iran Sanctions, Targeting Chinese Firms Tied to Oil Shipments

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on dozens of people, companies and ships tied to Iran's oil sector, stepping up its campaign against a key revenue source for Tehran. The Treasury announced more than 50 targets aimed at people who ...

Iran Says ‘Working With China and Russia’ to Stop European Sanctions

Iran said Thursday it was working with China and Russia to prevent the snapback of European sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program after Britain, France, and Germany threatened to reimpose them. "We will try to prevent it," Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, ...

China’s Happy With Its Iran Ties Just the Way They Are

There's been a lot of speculation in the aftermath of the brief U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran that Beijing would step in to bolster its longtime partners in Tehran. Rumors have been bouncing around that China will sell Iran advanced fighter jets ...

Chinese Commentators Cheer Over Iran Ditches GPS for Beidou

In a move hailed by Chinese media as a geopolitical turning point, Iran has announced plans to gradually replace the U.S.-controlled GPS system with China’s Beidou satellite navigation network. The decision, revealed in mid-July by Iran’s Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology, is being framed in ...

U.S. Treasury Chief Says China Talks Could Cover Iran, Russia Oil Buys

The next round of U.S.-China talks could include Chinese purchases of Russian and Iranian oil, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, a move that would shift the focus of trade negotiations into national security issues. U.S. President Donald Trump has ...
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