Letter from Iran: Testing times for Tehran-Beijing crude dynamics
Growing pressure from the Trump administration continues to threaten a resilient China-Iran oil nexus
The tensions around Iran during Trump’s second term have severely challenged the country’s ability to continue with it oil exports, which serve as a vital source of funding for the Iranian economy. The increasing US sanctions and reimposition of UN sanctions, Israel’s June airstrikes, widespread domestic uprisings, and the expansion of Washington’s military presence near Iranian waters have all exerted additional pressure on the Iranian economy and its revenue stream from oil exports. Independent data indicate that the quantities of crude and condensates delivered to Chinese refiners do not correspond with Iran’s export figures—despite Iran having no oil customers other than China during thi
Also in this section
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat
3 March 2026
The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in US–Israeli strikes marks the most serious escalation in the region in decades and a bigger potential threat to the oil market than the start of the Russia-Ukraine crisis






