The Importance of Iran for China and Chinese Diplomacy in the Iran–Israel War

Dr. Öğretim Üyesi Figen AYDIN

Iran’s importance in Chinese diplomacy can be examined under two main dimensions: geopolitical and economic. From a geopolitical perspective, Iran’s location in the Persian Gulf positions it as a critical logistical hub in China’s strategic outlook. As a country occupying a key geographic position within the Global South, Iran plays a prominent role in connecting overland and maritime trade routes. Its strategic position along the Strait of Hormuz constitutes another major factor driving China’s focus on Iran in terms of its geopolitical interests in the Middle East. By virtue of its access to sea lanes opening toward the Indo-Pacific, Iran exerts influence over vital trade routes also monitored by the United States. This dynamic renders the Middle East a critical arena of competition between China and the United States. In this context, Iran’s strategic cooperation with China elevates its status as a significant regional actor for Beijing.

Iran’s economic significance is fundamentally rooted in these geopolitical linkages. China is Iran’s largest and most comprehensive trading partner, with oil exports constituting the primary driver of this relationship. A substantial portion of Iran’s oil exports is purchased by China, and these imports account for a significant share of China’s seaborne energy supply.

The conflict that erupted between Iran and Israel in 2025 escalated further in 2026 with the United States extending support to Israel, raising the risk of regional spillover due to missile exchanges. The inclusion of proxy actors transformed the conflict into a multi-front confrontation, exposing the fragile fault lines of instability across the Middle East. As one of the largest importers of energy from the region, China responded to the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz by urging Iran to ensure the continuity of tanker traffic. Although relatively fewer Chinese tankers pass directly through the strait, the security of maritime routes remains strategically vital for China’s energy security. Iran responded positively to China’s calls. Despite the limited and ostensibly neutral nature of China’s pragmatic engagement with Iran, this relationship has provided a degree of assurance for the continuity of energy supply chains. While Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, it has nonetheless allowed passage for vessels associated with friendly states such as China.

China has found it increasingly difficult to sustain its limited, neutral, and pragmatic relations with opposing actors in the context of the Iran–Israel war. Consequently, the most advantageous strategy for Beijing has been to avoid a full-scale regional collapse. From China’s perspective, a calibrated level of tension—where Iran maintains indirect hostility toward Israel and the United States, and where the United States remains sufficiently engaged in the region for security reasons without escalating into a broader war—represents the most strategically favorable scenario.

China’s position in the Iran–Israel crisis has placed it under pressure to take sides among its partners. Nevertheless, Beijing has sought to maintain a policy of neutrality between them. To this end, it has engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at influencing the outcome, yet it has neither openly supported Iran nor mounted a meaningful challenge to Israel or the United States. Instead, China has opted for a cautious approach, favoring a form of quiet diplomacy capable of producing results without overt confrontation. This posture of neutrality can be interpreted as a highly delicate balancing strategy.

China cannot be considered entirely passive, as it has made efforts to sustain diplomatic engagement—even if largely behind the scenes—in pursuit of conflict resolution. At the same time, it has refrained from appearing overtly active, partly to avoid the perception of unilateral support for Iran. Through a constrained, limited, and deliberately ambiguous yet pragmatic strategy, China seeks to preserve its network of relationships while managing the crisis.

Dr. Öğretim Üyesi Figen AYDIN

İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl Üniversitesi

Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü

figen.aydin@yeniyuzyil.edu.tr