Iran-US military confrontation ...
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The Chinese are certainly opposed to Washington’s plans for Iran materializing and to the emergence of a pro-Western government in Tehran. They do not want a country like Iran, which has very close relations with China, to fall into the Western camp. From this perspective, China is willing to act at the diplomatic and political level. This is evident in the joint letters issued with Iran and Russia, warning the European side that the “snapback” or reimposition of sanctions would only worsen the situation, as well as in the joint letter sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors stating that Iran’s file should now be considered normal. China is prepared to take diplomatic steps in Iran’s favor, but it is not seeking to side with Iran in the event of a military confrontation with the US.
Can it be said that one of the main objectives behind the United States’ intensified pressure and political campaign against Iran is to target China’s imports of Iranian oil, similar to what was done in the case of Venezuela?
Overall, the US has deployed all of its capabilities to prevent Iran from exporting oil to the rest of the world, including China. If this issue is framed as being exclusively about China, the analysis becomes sidetracked. For example, Washington has pursued the same approach with regard to India, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, and any other country seeking to establish oil ties with Iran. Nor can it be compared to the case of Venezuela, as the conditions in Venezuela are fundamentally different from those in Iran.
The reality is that the United States’ overarching policy is to restrict—and ultimately drive to zero—Iran’s oil exports, not to pressure China because of its relationship with Iran. China may also come under pressure, and in that context, Washington’s proposal has been for China to purchase oil from Venezuela instead.