China Sides With Tehran but Wields Little Influence in Iran-Israel War

Peloni:  China is partnered with the wrong party in this war.  Trump should pursue a sanction policy which will motivate China towards acknowledging this fact, thus isolating Iran further.

Beijing condemned Israel’s sweeping strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites shortly after they began as a violation of “Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” according to a June 14 Chinese foreign ministry readout. Beyond rhetoric, however, Beijing has offered no material aid or mediation plan, underscoring the widening gap between China’s great power aspirations in the Middle East and its limited ability to shape fast-moving crises.

Beijing Condemns Israel, Amplifies Tehran’s Narrative

During a call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Yi stated that China “firmly opposes the reckless attacks targeting Iranian officials and causing civilian casualties,” warning that Israel’s strikes “set a dangerous precedent with potentially catastrophic consequences.”

He urged “countries that have influence over Israel” to restrain Jerusalem and pledged that Beijing would stay in close contact with Tehran while safeguarding Chinese personnel and assets in Iran.

Reinforcing the message at the Security Council, Chinese UN Ambassador Fu Cong said that Beijing “opposes the intensification of contradictions and the expansion of conflicts” and is “deeply concerned about the consequences” of Israel’s actions.

These themes were amplified in a May 15 editorial published by China Daily, an English-language news outlet owned by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda Department. While claiming that Israel’s strikes violated international law, the article described Iran’s nuclear sites as being “peaceful” — a claim directly contradicted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The editorial also claimed that Israel’s action against Iran stemmed from its refusal to “rein in its war machine” following the October 7, 2023, massacre carried out by Hamas, while accusing Israeli leaders of wanting to entrap the United States in a war against Iran.

China Remains a Key Lifeline for Tehran

China remains a financial and military lifeline to Tehran, allowing the regime to pay for its nuclear weapons program and expand its ballistic missile arsenal. China purchases nearly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports — a trade that accounts for nearly 20 percent of Iran’s economy and is heavily controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These purchases are primarily routed to China via “shadow fleets” of unregistered ships, transferred at sea to other vessels, and brought to small or independent refineries — offering Beijing a discounted source of crude and undermining U.S. sanctions meant to enact maximum pressure on the Iranian regime.

Iran is also a key customer for China’s defense industrial base, purchasing significant quantities of missile fuel components and other armaments. While Beijing officially ceased selling major weapons systems to Tehran in 2005 following three decades of defense industrial cooperation and technology sharing, Iran continues to source ammonium perchlorate — a key component in manufacturing solid-fueled missiles — from China. China has also allegedly sold both missile components and targeting data to the Houthis, a Yemen-based Iranian proxy, for use in striking both Israeli and American shipping transiting the Red Sea.

U.S. Must Maintain Pressure on China to Weaken Iran

China’s ongoing political support for Iran, paired with its past record of financing and supplying both the IRGC and Iranian proxies, illustrates Beijing’s effort to strengthen Tehran’s position during a period of profound vulnerability. Yet Beijing’s loud condemnations mask shallow leverage as Iran seeks to protect its nuclear program. Thus far, China has remained on the sidelines, unwilling — and seemingly unable — to translate words into meaningful support for the Iranian regime in its time of need.

The United States should dramatically expand its sanctions on Chinese refineries and banks involved in illicitly purchasing Iranian oil, placing greater pressure on the regime during a critical moment while forcing Beijing into a painful choice between supporting Tehran or maintaining economic stability. These measures should also be paired with efforts to disrupt the flow of ballistic missile components, including sanctioning Chinese chemical producers and shipping firms.

Craig Singleton is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and senior director of FDD’s China Program, where Jack Burnham is a research analyst. For more analysis from Craig, Jack, and the China Program, please subscribe HERE. Follow Craig on X @CraigMSingleton. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.