This came on the same day that Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social: "Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive.”

Beijing denounced Trump’s 25% tariff on countries that do business with Tehran, but seems reluctant to offer more support.

Chinese, Russian and Iranian warships have launched a week of naval drills with host South African off the coast of Cape Town as geopolitical tensions run high over the United States’ intervention in Venezuela.

China, the world's largest crude importer, is the main buyer of oil from OPEC producer Iran, leaving Beijing uniquely exposed to any supply disruption fromconflict in the Middle East. Beijing, which is also the biggest buyer of oil from Venezuela and a top importer of oil from Russia,

Iran is descending into chaos as nationwide protests erupt across all 31 provinces, leaving hundreds dead and the country under near-total internet blackouts. As violence escalates, China has issued a sharp warning to the United States against what it calls “foreign interference,

China has stepped into the rapidly escalating Iran crisis, warning against foreign “interference” just as the U.S. President Donald Trump threatens military action over Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protesters.

Iran has a record amount of oil on the water, equivalent to around 50 days of output, as China has bought less because of sanctions and Tehran seeks to protect its supplies from the risk of U.S. strikes,

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult.