Gulf states are looking to China to take a more active role in restraining Iran as doubts grow over whether the United States can bring the five-month conflict to an end. The latest push highlights how regional governments are weighing Beijing’s influence alongside Washington’s role.
At the center of the effort is the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf countries want China to use its economic ties with Tehran to help move Iran toward a negotiated settlement that would reopen the strategic waterway.
The approach reflects a belief that China’s commercial leverage may give it room to press for de-escalation. It also signals rising concern in the Gulf that the conflict could drag on without a workable diplomatic breakthrough.
Whether Beijing will choose to apply meaningful pressure remains uncertain. But the request from Gulf states shows how the search for a deal involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly tied to China’s regional influence.
