China’s 13.6% dependence on Tehran’s oil

China now imports more than 13.6 percent of its crude oil from Iran, an unprecedented level that highlights the country’s high dependence on Tehran’s discounted oil, Reuters reported, citing data from tanker trackers. China imported an average of 1.38 million barrels per day of oil from Iran in the first half of 2025, accounting for more than 13.6 percent of the country’s total oil imports. China’s independent refineries (“teapots”) are the main buyers of this oil. Iran sells its oil to China at a discount of about $7 to $8 per barrel to Brent crude. This has helped China keep its oil imports cheaper, while Iran has continued to export by circumventing sanctions. This level of dependence, under severe US sanctions, shows Iran’s maneuverability in Asian markets. Meanwhile, Donald Trump announced in a post on the social network Truth Social: China can now continue to buy oil from Iran; we hope to buy a lot from the United States as well.
The comments came while there is still no sign of an official easing of sanctions by the Trump administration. However, his words are an important signal for the oil market and energy relations at the global level.
US officials have expressed concerns about sanctions violations by Chinese companies, but so far there has been no large-scale official response. Analysts believe that this level of trade may cause new tensions between Washington and Beijing in the future.