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China has officially condemned the US for strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, China is by far the largest buyer of Iranian crude oil, purchasing roughly 1.8 million barrels per day as of early 2025. This accounts for over 90% of Iran’s total crude oil exports. Despite US sanctions, China continues this trade through discreet shipping practices, often involving rebranded or “ghost” tankers to avoid detection. Due to the sanctions, China takes advantage of purchasing Iranian oil at huge discounts. This helps Iran make money while allowing China to diversify its energy imports and save a shitload of money. Beyond oil, China also has its hands in Iran due to its involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which includes infrastructure investments like ports, railways, and projects in Iran’s oil industry.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, China pushed back on the United States following its military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, describing the action as both dangerous and unlawful. During an emergency UN Security Council meeting, China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong said the US attack “seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law” and warned that it “exacerbates tensions in the Middle East.” He also said that the strikes not only inflicted damage on Iran but also delivered a “heavy blow to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime” and undermined Washington’s credibility as a responsible global actor.
China also joined Russia and Pakistan in drafting a resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and guarantees for the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Meanwhile, Chinese state-run media like the Global Times echoed the government’s stance, calling the US strikes “extremely dangerous and provocative” and warning that Washington’s actions were pushing the Iran-Israel conflict toward an “uncontrollable state.”
This all comes as Russia has also piled onto the criticism of the United States, using unusually direct language to condemn the strikes. At the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzya said, “Russia condemns in the most decisive terms, the irresponsible, dangerous and provocative actions committed by the USA,” accusing Washington of demonstrating “complete contempt for the international community.”
Despite all of this, the US maintains that the strikes were necessary, with President Trump confirming that he saw intelligence indicating that Iran could have a nuclear weapon within weeks.
