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
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