Why China will not comply with US sanctions on Iran

What the report says

Al Jazeera’s commentary says China is unlikely to comply with the latest US sanctions on Iran because Beijing has both practical and strategic reasons to keep backing Tehran. The article points to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek on August 31, where the leaders of China, Russia and India met alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, as a sign that Washington is already struggling to win broad international support for its pressure campaign.

The piece argues that China has become central to Iran’s ability to keep exporting oil, buying most of those shipments and using methods such as renminbi settlement, barter, shell companies and so-called dark fleets to reduce exposure to US penalties. It says this makes the sanctions harder to enforce and limits Washington’s leverage over Chinese firms and banks.

The article also says Beijing sees value in preventing an outright Iranian collapse, which it fears could pull the Middle East back toward US influence and weaken China’s regional standing, energy security and long-term technology and defense interests. At the same time, it notes that China does not want a close alignment with Tehran and is trying to keep some distance.

More broadly, the commentary frames China’s stance as part of its effort to balance rivalry with Washington while preserving room for cooperation. It says Beijing has kept out of the Iran war and wants to avoid actions that would jeopardize a fragile reset in China-US relations.