China maintains strategic distance from Iran

Reports indicate that China is maintaining a strategic distance from Iran, despite Beijing being Tehran’s most significant economic partner. During the recent BRICS+ summit in New Delhi, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly had no public interaction with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

While China’s relationship with Iran is heavily driven by economics—specifically China’s acquisition of inexpensive Iranian oil and Iran’s reliance on Chinese goods—experts suggest Beijing is avoiding appearing overly close to Tehran in its broader Middle East strategy. This trend of distancing was also noted at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, where President Xi held formal meetings with other leaders but provided President Pezeshkian with significantly less attention.

Although Iran is closer to China than any other nation in the Middle East and North Africa region according to the MBN 'Great Powers Index', the relationship remains asymmetrical. Iran accounts for less than 1 percent of China’s total global trade.