China has issued one of its strongest geopolitical warnings in years, cautioning that any U.S. military action against Iran could plunge the Middle East—and beyond—into uncontrollable chaos. The warning comes as U.

As tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, China’s role is under growing scrutiny. How far would Beijing go to support Iran — and where are the limits if conflict broke out with the US?

China is currently constructing the Sarakhs railway terminal on the Turkmenistan–Iran border, a project expected to accelerate container transport along the China–Central Asia–Iran–Turkey–EU and Gulf routes. In August 2025, Iranian authorities reported that more than half of the project had been completed.

Amid intensifying U.S.–Iran tensions, attention is turning to how far China will go to protect Tehran from American pressure. Beijing has become Iran’s key economic and political lifeline as sanctions and U.

The mullahs have declared victory. Their thuggish Basij militiamen have retreated to their lairs. Municipal workers are scrubbing the blood from Tehran’s pavements.

China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, and it always has a tried-and-tested toolkit for evading sanctions enforcement.

Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov discusses closer military cooperation with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun.

China’s partnership with Iran is driven primarily by discounted oil and shared opposition to U.S. pressure, not ideological loyalty. Beijing’s extensive oil stockpiles and diversified suppliers reduce its exposure to disruptions in Iranian exports.

By Siyi Liu SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - 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,