DUBAI: China-Iran-Houthi talks have focused on limiting further Red Sea escalation after Saudi Arabia asked Beijing for help, three Iranian sources told Reuters.
China privately urged Tehran to use its influence with Yemen’s Houthis. Riyadh sought Beijing’s help after Houthi forces advanced along the Red Sea coast and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
China’s Foreign Ministry publicly called for restraint and dialogue. It also said regional instability should not spread further into Yemen and the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, Beijing said countries should respect sovereignty and security. It also urged all sides to avoid targeting infrastructure important to civilian life.
According to Reuters, Tehran responded that regional stability depends on ending the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Still, China made no explicit economic threats against Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the Saudi government’s media office did not immediately comment on the Reuters report.
The China-Iran-Houthi talks come as fighting in Yemen has intensified. Houthi advances have increased pressure around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major shipping route linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
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China has strong economic interests in avoiding wider disruption. Reuters reported that Chinese buyers accounted for more than 80% of Iran’s seaborne oil exports in 2025.
Those purchases averaged about 1.4 million barrels per day, according to data provider Kpler. At the same time, China has extensive trade relationships with Gulf Arab states.
As a result, disruption around both Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz could affect two critical regional energy routes.
Read: Houthis Attack Saudi Oil Sites as US Pauses Iran Strikes
China also retains diplomatic ties with both Tehran and Riyadh. In 2023, Beijing brokered the agreement that restored diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
However, Reuters reported that it remains unclear whether Iran will act on Beijing’s request. For now, China’s public position remains focused on de-escalation, safe navigation and negotiated solutions rather than direct involvement in Yemen’s fighting.
