The Islamic Republic of Iran is getting by with a little help from its friends. Moscow has played a significant role in boosting Tehran. But so too has Beijing. And that aid is reaching new heights.

China’s Foreign Ministry has claimed that it is “working tirelessly for peace” and seeking an end to the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. But China is talking out of both sides of its mouth.

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In fact, China has helped Iran wage war. The Chinese Communist Party has long viewed the Islamic Republic as its chief foil in the Middle East, capable of using its proxies to both attack and distract America and its allies. 

Beijing has also looked to Tehran for its energy needs. By some estimates, 80% to 90% of Iran’s oil exports go to China, constituting as much as 15% of the Middle Kingdom’s total oil imports. And since Iran is heavily sanctioned, that oil is heavily discounted. China has played a key role in sustaining Iran, just as it has done with Russia, by helping the country evade sanctions.

China and........

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