According to data from leading tanker tracking firms, China's imports of Iranian crude oil reached an unprecedented high in June 2025, underscoring Tehran's growing influence in the world's largest oil market despite stringent U.S. sanctions. This surge in Iranian oil exports to China comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over the former's nuclear program and its support for regional proxies. While official figures have not been released, industry sources estimate that Chinese refiners imported over 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude in June, eclipsing the previous record set in April 2021. This uptick can be attributed to China's insatiable energy demand as its economy continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its strategic decision to strengthen ties with Iran in defiance of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. has long sought to curtail Iran's oil exports as a means of exerting economic pressure on the regime, but China's unwavering support for Tehran has undermined these efforts. Beijing has consistently opposed the unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington, viewing them as an infringement on its sovereign right to conduct trade with whomever it chooses. Iran, for its part, has sought to diversify its customer base and forge closer ties with Asian nations like China and India to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions. The Islamic Republic has employed various tactics to circumvent sanctions, including concealing the origin of its oil shipments and engaging in ship-to-ship transfers at sea.

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