China pressures Iran to rein in Houthi offensive, Reuters reports

China pressures Iran over Houthis

Beijing approached Tehran to stop the Yemeni Houthis. Saudi representatives prompted China to take the step following a military operation by the Iran-backed group last week. Three Iranian sources told the outlet about the development.

According to the sources, the Houthis advanced so rapidly along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that they put Saudi oil exports and shipping at risk.

Beijing wants Iran to use its influence over the Houthis. This is also necessary to ensure the free passage of Chinese tankers along energy routes in the Middle East.

The sources said Tehran responded that stability and peace in the region depend on ending the war between the US and Israel against Iran.

Chinese officials did not directly threaten or hint at economic pressure on Tehran if it failed to use its influence over the Houthis, three Iranian sources said.

The anonymous sources did not provide details on how the message was delivered. One possibility is that it was conveyed during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi's visit to China on September 16.

China's public statements

China has publicly called for:

• Restraint,
• Dialogue,
• The restoration of safe shipping.

However, its private message went beyond its public statements, the sources said.

In response to a Reuters request for comment on the matter, China's Foreign Ministry said:

"China does not wish to see regional tensions further spill over into Yemen and the Red Sea. Escalating regional instability is not in the interests of ​any party."

Iran's partner

China has been Iran's largest trading partner for more than a decade and remains its main oil buyer.

According to analytics firm Kpler, Chinese purchases accounted for more than 80% of Iran's seaborne oil exports in 2025. That amounted to an average of around 1.4 million barrels per day.

"Beijing is one of the few capitals that can still ​press Iran to rein in the Houthis," a senior Western diplomat in the region said.

According to three Iranian sources, it remains unclear whether Tehran will take action in response to Beijing's concerns.

Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the US faced dwindling stocks of many critical types of weapons, which could affect its readiness for a potential conflict with Russia or China.

In addition, the Yemeni Houthis made an exception for China to their tanker blockade in the southern Red Sea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump that he would not sell weapons to Iran. The statement referred to Chinese companies.