China is seeking a larger role in Gulf diplomacy as the US-Iran war disrupts energy supplies, but its leverage over Tehran is limited. Beijing plans to send an envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia this month.
Iranian officials welcomed Democrats’ capture of Congress in the US midterm elections, while Gulf states focused on whether President Donald Trump might strike Iran again. Iranian sources said they feared military action, and four European officials said the US had forces in place to strike at short notice.
China’s President Xi Jinping told Oman’s visiting Sultan that the Gulf should not become a battleground for great-power rivalry. China will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia this month. It has been Iran’s largest trading partner for more than a decade and bought more than 80% of its seaborne oil exports in 2025, but it also has about $300 billion in annual trade with Gulf Arab states and no defence commitments in the region.
The article describes China as an engaged observer rather than a decisive broker, noting that it has avoided publicly pressing Tehran, guaranteeing a settlement or working out a solution with Washington. Qatar is leading the latest push to avoid war, while Iran says it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a deal if Washington meets conditions including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. Gulf oil exports slipped in October from September’s wartime high, though tracking firms said the figures could be revised upward.
