China cuts Iranian oil imports as US readies harshest sanctions yet
Beijing disclosed a meeting with Iran’s deputy foreign minister and has reduced Iranian crude purchases by about half since the conflict began, ahead of expected US sanctions.
China revealed that it hosted Iran’s deputy foreign minister for discussions related to the ongoing US-Iran war. The country has slashed its imports of Iranian oil by roughly 50% since the fighting started, according to a report. This move comes as the Trump administration prepares to announce what it calls the toughest sanctions ever imposed on Tehran. Analysts say Beijing’s strategy of diversifying energy sources and limiting spillover could blunt Washington’s pressure. Zhao Long of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies noted China’s focus on risk containment and avoiding strategic entanglement.
Why it matters
China’s pullback from Iranian oil could limit the impact of upcoming US sanctions on Tehran and its partners.
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