Why Is China Standing With Iran?
WANA (Aug 27) – Beijing’s latest warning to Washington over Iran-related sanctions has once again highlighted an important reality: the relationship between China and Iran is no longer merely a trade partnership. It has become part of the broader equation of competition between China and the United States, as well as Beijing’s efforts to shape a more multipolar world order.
The Financial Times reported that China has warned the United States that if pressure on companies and trade linked to Iran expands, Beijing may take “all necessary measures” to defend its interests.
In response, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s special representative for China affairs, welcomed Beijing’s position, saying: “We welcome China’s principled position in rejecting illegal sanctions against Iran.”
He also emphasized: “The comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China is based on mutual respect, win-win cooperation, and a shared vision of a multipolar world.”
Ghalibaf ultimately summed up the nature of the relationship by saying: “The relationship between the two countries does not need anyone’s permission.”
These remarks suggest that Tehran, too, does not view its relationship with Beijing merely as a trade channel for circumventing sanctions. Rather, it sees the relationship as part of a long-term strategic partnership.
Ghalibaf: Iran-China Strategic Ties Need No One’s Permission
WANA (Aug 26) – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also serves as Iran’s special representative for relations with China, welcomed Beijing’s position against the latest US sanctions on Iran, stressing that the strategic relationship between Tehran and Beijing does not require anyone’s permission. Ghalibaf said Iran welcomes China’s principled stance in rejecting […]
Why Is Iran Important to China?
The first answer is energy. China is the world’s largest oil importer, and Iran is an important source of its oil supplies. According to recent reports, a large share of Iran’s oil exports goes to China, with independent Chinese refineries, known as “teapots,” among the main buyers of Iranian crude.
For Beijing, however, this trade is about more than simply buying cheap oil. China is seeking to diversify its energy sources so that, if competition with the United States intensifies, its energy supply chains are not excessively dependent on decisions made in Washington or by its allies.
From this perspective, Iran represents an independent source of energy—one that China does not want to see cut off easily.
That does not mean China wants instability in the Persian Gulf. Quite the opposite: China’s economy depends heavily on the uninterrupted flow of energy from the region. This is why Beijing’s policy has two simultaneous objectives: maintaining its strategic relationship with Iran while preventing a regional crisis from turning into a full-scale war.
Presidents of Iran and China. Social media / WANA News Agency
Why Does China Resist U.S. Sanctions?
The second factor is economic sovereignty. China has opposed unilateral U.S. sanctions and Washington’s attempts to apply its domestic laws to companies and third countries for years. From Beijing’s perspective, fully accepting U.S. secondary sanctions could create a dangerous precedent that could later be used against Chinese trade with other countries.
Therefore, China’s defense of trade with Iran is not simply about defending Tehran. It is also about protecting China’s own economic independence and foreign-policy autonomy.
Under these circumstances, Iran-related sanctions have become one of the arenas where two competing approaches collide: the U.S. approach of using financial and sanctions power, and China’s effort to limit the reach of that tool.
Iran, China Vow to Deepen Strategic Ties; Ghalibaf Warns U.S. Over Strait of Hormuz Interference
WANA (Jul 03) – He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday morning. The Chinese delegation traveled to Tehran to attend the official memorial and funeral services for Iran’s late leader. During the high-level meeting, both […]
Iran Is More Than a Barrel of Oil for Beijing
Iran’s importance to China extends far beyond energy. Iran’s geographic position, linking the Persian Gulf with Central Asia, the Caucasus and routes toward Europe, makes the country an important point in China’s trade calculations.
The relationship between Tehran and Beijing also has a long history. In 2026, the two countries mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their “comprehensive strategic partnership.” Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized the importance of the relationship in recent months.
For Beijing, Iran is therefore a combination of energy resources, geographic position, market access, trade routes and geopolitical leverage.
What Did the Recent War Change?
The war between Iran and the United States has made this equation even more important for China.
During the crisis, Beijing emphasized Iran’s sovereignty and security while also seeking to preserve its diplomatic role. China has simultaneously called for an end to the fighting and a restoration of regional stability, while reaffirming its strategic partnership with Tehran.
There have also been reports and allegations in the media about China providing weapons or satellite and operational intelligence to Iran. However, these reports have not all been independently verified and should not be placed on the same level as Beijing’s documented and official positions.
What is clearer is China’s political and economic support for Iran and Beijing’s opposition to Washington’s efforts to sever commercial ties between the two countries.
China’s He Wei met with Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Is China Iran’s “Friend”?
The realistic answer is that China is not an unconditional ally; it is a major power whose interests overlap with those of Iran.
Beijing will not sacrifice its vital interests in its relationship with Washington for Tehran. At the same time, it is not prepared to abandon its relationship with Iran simply because of pressure from the United States.
That distinction matters. China’s foreign policy is largely driven by calculations of national interest. Wherever Iran can contribute to China’s energy security, trade routes, regional balance and efforts to reduce U.S. pressure, the interests of the two countries converge.
Ghalibaf’s statement that “the relationship between the two countries does not need anyone’s permission” can therefore be viewed as a sign of Tehran’s political confidence in the future of the relationship. But the relationship itself remains fundamentally based on mutual interests and strategic calculations.
Ghalibaf Emphasizes Absolute Strategic Partnership with China
WANA (Jun 17) – Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and Iran’s Special Envoy on China Affairs, emphasized the need to build economic welfare for the Iranian people and solidify ties with China during a consultative meeting with the Iran Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Following the meeting, […]
The Bigger Question Is the Future of the Global Order
For China, the Iran issue is part of its broader competition with the United States. Beijing wants a world in which economic and political power is distributed among several centers, rather than one in which the United States can unilaterally shape the rules of global trade and international relations. Iran, meanwhile, is one of the countries that has resisted U.S. pressure for years.
From this perspective, keeping Iran as an independent actor in the Middle East matters to China.
China’s support for Iran, therefore, should not be explained simply in terms of “friendship.” Beijing supports Iran because part of China’s strategic interest lies in maintaining a strong and independent Iran outside the U.S. sphere of influence.
And that is what takes the Tehran-Beijing relationship beyond an ordinary economic transaction: it has become part of a much larger contest over a fundamental question—to what extent will the future global order remain dominated by Washington?
