China–Iran Relations · Full chronicle and history

According to a post by X account @ChinaSelect on October 20, 2026 Beijing time, Iran is the mastermind behind a plot to attack US military assets in Britain last month, and the account noted that the regime has long been supported by China, with the CCP assisting Tehran in confronting the West, including purchasing Iranian oil and providing satellite imagery-related assistance for the attack.

During a program on Iranian state media, political analyst Khalatian claimed that China had provided Iran with satellite images behind the scenes to assist in strikes against the U.S. military, but cut off the support after the matter was exposed in the media.

On October 3, during the Iranian state broadcaster's program "Iran Time," political analyst Mehdi Khalatian claimed that China had once provided Iran with satellite images behind the scenes to help strike U.S. forces, and that the cooperation was halted after The Wall Street Journal exposed it. The newspaper had previously cited U.S. officials as saying that the images were related to the attack on a Jordanian base on July 17 that killed 3 U.S. troops.

On September 29, days after the Trump-Xi meeting ended, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on 10 individuals and entities, including Tabatabai, the Iranian defense sector's procurement representative in Beijing, Hong Kong company EC Mojo Technology, and its China-based representative Li Fen, accusing them of supporting the procurement of weapons systems, dual-use components, and electronic components for Iran within China. The assets of the sanctioned targets in the United States will be frozen.

On September 25, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said in an interview with CNBC that Trump had warned Xi Jinping face to face during a White House meeting that any direct or indirect Chinese support for Iran — whether intelligence, parts, or military equipment — is completely unacceptable.

According to Iranian customs records cited by the Wall Street Journal on September 24, about 1,300 shipments were sent from China to Iran's Ministry of Defense in the first half of this year, including dual-use military-civilian components usable for drones and missile guidance. On June 17, the day the US-Iran interim ceasefire was signed, a batch of electronic components arrived in Tehran, and days after the ceasefire, more than $6 million worth of related components were airlifted in.

On September 24, Fox News aired an exclusive interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who stated in New York during the UN General Assembly that Iran's funds in China are restricted, making it impossible to even retrieve proceeds from goods exported to China, attributing this to U.S. pressure.

US Democratic Senators wrote a letter urging Trump to focus on Chinese companies assisting Iran, stating that relevant evidence shows they may be helping Iran target US forces.

On September 17, Reuters cited sources reporting that, at the request of Saudi Arabia, China privately asked Iran to use its influence to restrain Yemen's Houthi armed forces to prevent their military operations from threatening the Red Sea energy transportation corridor. Iran responded that regional stability depends on US and Israeli policies, and it remains unclear whether Iran will take action.

On September 16, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, urging all parties to take measures to open the Strait of Hormuz and maintain the stability of energy transportation. Araghchi responded that Iran had reached a plan with Oman, but emphasized that the United States must first fulfill its previous commitments.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that when Iran attacked a U.S. military base in Jordan in July this year, killing three American soldiers, it used satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities. When asked whether he would raise the matter at the U.S.-China summit, Trump did not answer directly.

China began enforcing the 19-article Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration promulgated on July 31 starting September 15, expanding the scope of those barred from leaving the country from specific groups to all departing passengers at every port of exit, particularly affecting AI researchers and entrepreneurs, drawing widespread attention and concern at home and abroad. On September 10, officials issued a clarification saying the new rules mainly target cross-border gambling, telecom fraud, and the illicit transfer of technology. On the same day, the human rights organization Safeguard Defenders released a report noting an explosive growth in China's exit bans, with nearly 200,000 mentions of exit restrictions in Supreme People's Court rulings in 2025.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated on September 15 that the Iran issue and financial ties between China and Iran will be topics of discussion at the Trump-Xi summit on September 24, and he will consult with He Lifeng this weekend.

According to a Reuters report on September 10, Iran is using a barter-like arrangement to convert some of its oil revenue into credit for purchasing Chinese goods, bypassing international banking payment channels.

On September 4, 2026, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against a Turkish investment bank and its subsidiaries, accusing the bank of helping Iran's shadow banking network route and launder oil trade payments from China.

The report of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission notes that China is Iran's most important economic lifeline, providing revenue by purchasing Iranian oil and supplying components for its war machines.

Chairman Mullernair of the House China Special Committee wrote to Trump, stating that cooperation between the Chinese government and the Iranian military has caused American casualties, equivalent to an act of war against the United States.

According to a video report citing The Wall Street Journal, as of the end of June 2026, over 1,000 shipments of dual-use goods were transported from China to the Iranian Ministry of Defense, with Mahan Air operating nearly 40 round-trip flights per week between Beijing and Tehran.

Bessent said he had met with Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, on the Iran issue, and stated that the Chinese side agreed that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal in September 2026, U.S. officials said that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery provided by Chinese entities before its July attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan, and used it to assess the strike's effectiveness; China denied the related allegations. The U.S. is also investigating whether Chinese companies helped Iran track U.S. warships.

Reuters reported that China and Iran signed a contract for three to four hundred sets of portable air defense missiles; the Chinese side responded that the U.S. accusations are groundless.

Wang Yi met with Araghchi, stating that the memorandum of understanding already reached must not be abandoned, and called for maintaining negotiations and properly handling the issue of the Strait of Hormuz.

As tensions between the US and Iran escalate, Tehran held a funeral for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei. China announced that Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress He Wei would attend on behalf of China.

China sent He Wei, Chairman of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party, to mourn Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei rather than a high-level delegation, reflecting Beijing's strategic adjustment in international relations.

China's National Financial Regulatory Administration recently issued verbal guidance suggesting that several major domestic banks suspend issuing new RMB loans to five refineries sanctioned by the U.S. for involvement in Iranian oil transactions.

Wang Yi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, calling for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to the war, while reaffirming support for Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear capabilities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi traveled to Beijing to meet with Wang Yi, with China and Iran communicating on issues including the US-Iran conflict and energy trade, while the Wall Street Journal reported that China is selling materials needed for missile programs to Tehran.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said President Trump will use his trip to Beijing to exchange views on the US-Iran conflict, accusing China of buying 90% of Iran's energy and financing state sponsors of terrorism.

The cruise ship JV Innovation, flying the Marshall Islands flag and leased and owned by a Chinese company, was attacked by Iran's Revolutionary Guard at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, with Chinese crew members on board.

A large product tanker owned by a Chinese shipowner was attacked by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps off the port of Fujairah in the UAE, causing a fire on deck.

In May 2026, the Trump administration sanctioned 3 Chinese companies that provided satellite imagery to Iran, and investigated whether Chinese companies helped Iran track US warships.

In 2023, Iran was formally brought into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, further incorporated into the regional security cooperation architecture led by China.