- China has privately urged Iran to use its influence to restrain Yemen's Houthi rebels
- The Houthis have expanded near the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, threatening Saudi oil routes
- China's request goes beyond public calls, seeking to prevent conflict along vital energy routes
China has privately asked Iran to use its influence over Yemen's Houthi rebels and help rein in the group after Saudi Arabia sought Beijing's assistance, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing three Iranian sources familiar with the matter.
The move comes as the Houthis have rapidly expanded their presence along Yemen's Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, increasing risks to Saudi oil exports and international shipping.
Reuters citing the sources said that China's private message to Tehran went beyond Beijing's public calls for restraint, dialogue and safe navigation. Beijing wants Iran to help prevent the conflict from spreading across key energy routes that are crucial to China, the world's second-largest economy.
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It remains unclear how the message was delivered or whether it was conveyed during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi's visit to China on Wednesday.
The Iranian sources said Tehran's response was that regional peace and stability depended on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. They added that Beijing had not threatened economic measures against Tehran if Iran failed to act.
China's Foreign Ministry, responding to Reuters, said Beijing did not want regional tensions to spill further into Yemen and the Red Sea, warning that escalating instability was not in the interests of any party. It called for respect for sovereignty and security and urged dialogue and negotiations.
The Houthi advance has heightened concerns over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Reuters has reported that the group's gains have increased its leverage over a route vital to global oil and shipping flows.
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The risks are amplified by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. With both major maritime routes under pressure, sustained Houthi attacks could further strain global energy supplies.
China has strong economic interests in keeping the routes open. It has been Iran's largest trading partner for more than a decade and accounted for more than 80% of Iran's seaborne oil exports in 2025, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters.
Whether Tehran acts on Beijing's concerns remains uncertain. China brokered the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023, but Iranian sources said Tehran's decisions are shaped by multiple strategic, economic and political considerations.
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