China couldn’t prevent the United States from striking Iran but history gives Beijing reason to believe that when the dust settles, it will be able to capitalize, economically and diplomatically.

The last-minute cancellation comes as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is piling pressure on Washington and on major importers of oil, gas and fuels from the Persian Gulf

China’s state-owned refiners have begun exploring purchases of Iranian crude, according to people familiar with the matter, after Washington allowed the sale of some oil already loaded onto tankers in an effort to limit price rises due to the Middle East War.

From buying oil to selling rocket parts, these are some of the ways China is giving Iran critical support.

The Xi Jinping-led China government had also increased fuel prices on March 9. At that time, petrol prices were raised by 695 yuan per ton, while diesel prices were increased by 670 yuan per ton.

China's ASN-301 loitering munition emerges as a smarter, radar-hunting alternative to Iran's Shahed-136 drone in modern warfare.

China’s top battery makers have gained more than $70bn in market capitalisation since the US and Israel attacked Iran, highlighting investor expectations of a long-term boost for clean energy. Shares in CATL,