Key facts
- China is Iran's largest trading partner, taking over 80% of its seaborne oil exports.
- Chinese firms are reportedly helping Iran economically and militarily, according to a US senator.
- Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before a missile attack, a senator said.
- About 90% of Iran's oil exports go to China, providing billions of dollars in revenue.
- Chinese and Hong Kong companies have supplied components for Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.
- The US-China summit is scheduled for September 24 at the White House.
Ahead of a planned US-China summit on September 24, US Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen urged President Donald Trump to press Chinese President Xi Jinping over China's support for Iran. Shaheen stated that Chinese firms are helping Tehran economically and militarily, citing reports that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before launching a missile attack that killed three American soldiers.
Shaheen noted that about 90% of Iran's oil exports go to China, providing it with billions of dollars of revenue and a critical economic lifeline. She also said Chinese and Hong Kong companies had supplied components used in Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. Shaheen urged Trump to use his leverage to stop Chinese firms from providing such support and access to markets for sanctioned Iranian oil.
"If we want to bring this war to an end, we need to cut off the outside support that allows Iran to keep fighting, and that starts with China," Shaheen said. She added that the administration should enforce sanctions against Chinese entities helping Iran, and if China doesn't stop, Congress should impose additional consequences. Shaheen suggested Trump consider using authorities in recently enacted Russian sanctions legislation against Chinese purchasers of Russian energy, arguing that China is a top funder of both the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Iran.