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Published On 14 Apr 2026<\/span>14 Apr 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Beijing as the United States blocks the Strait of Hormuz, through which China imports about a third of its oil supplies.<\/p>\n Lavrov received a red-carpet welcome on Tuesday, according to photos shared by Russia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/p>\n list of 4 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n Beijing and Moscow have condemned the US and Israel over their war on Iran, with China also being economically affected by the energy crisis it has caused.<\/p>\n China, a big importer of Iranian oil, also slammed a recently imposed US scheme to blockade vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Strait of Hormuz is an important international trade route for goods and energy, and maintaining its security, stability, and unimpeded flow is in the common interest of the international community,\u201d China\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday.<\/p>\n Al Jazeera\u2019s Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington, DC, said the US\u2019s goal is to choke Iran off by blocking everything coming in and out of Iranian ports.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the US hopes is that there\u2019ll be pressure on Iran from some of its main business partners, including China,\u201d he said, adding that Beijing imports about a third of its oil from Iran. \u201cThe United States is hoping that pressure on China will mean China putting pressure on Iran and forcing Iran to get back to the negotiating table.\u201d<\/p>\n On Monday, Lavrov held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.<\/p>\n The top Russian diplomat told \u00a0Araghchi it was important to guard against any resumption of hostilities in the Middle East, and said Russia stood ready to help with a settlement, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry.<\/p>\n \u201cS\u00a0Lavrov\u00a0emphasised the importance of preventing a recurrence of armed confrontation and once again confirmed Russia\u2019s unwavering readiness to assist in resolving the crisis, which has no military solution,\u201d the ministry said.<\/p>\n It added Araghchi related to Lavrov details of US-Iran talks in Pakistan at the weekend, which failed to reach a breakthrough.<\/p>\n Beijing and Moscow are close economic and political partners, and the relationship has deepened further since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.<\/p>\n Wang also held a call with Lavrov on April 5, when they agreed that Beijing and Moscow would work together to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.<\/p>\n China welcomed a string of leaders of countries that have been affected by the war and its economic fallout this week, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also known as MBZ.<\/p>\n Chinese President Xi Jinping met MBZ and Sanchez on Tuesday morning, and Vietnamese President To Lam is expected in China for a four-day trip.<\/p>\n \u201cI think what this really speaks to is that many people around the world have been surprised that China has not played a more active role in the Iran war, given it has such strong ties with Tehran, including as Iran\u2019s largest trading partner and buyer of crude oil,\u201d Al Jazeera\u2019s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what China has been doing, besides calling for restraint and more negotiation, is taking advantage of this moment to really look at states that may be a little disenchanted with the US or looking to diversify from reliance on Washington,\u201d Yu said.<\/p>\n \u201cChina has presented itself as the opposite of Washington \u2013 a reliable, stable and predictable partner. For many states, that message really appeals.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump, who is scheduled to visit Beijing next month for talks with Xi, said on Sunday he would hit China\u2019s goods with a 50 percent tariff if it provided military assistance to Tehran.<\/p>\n His comments came the same day CNN reported that US intelligence indicated China was preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks, quoting three people familiar with the assessments.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo said those reports were \u201ccompletely fabricated\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the US insists on using this as an excuse to impose additional tariffs on China, China will definitely take resolute countermeasures,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Published On 14 Apr 202614 Apr 2026 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Beijing as the United States blocks the Strait of Hormuz, through which China imports about a third of its oil supplies. Lavrov received a red-carpet welcome on Tuesday, according to photos shared by Russia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 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