Report: Beijing Wants Tehran to Tell Houthis to “Show Restraint"

China has asked the Islamic Republic of Iran to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels, the Reuters news agency reported on January 26.

Four unidentified Iranian sources and a diplomat were quoted as saying that the matter was raised at recent meetings between Chinese and Iranian officials in both Beijing and Tehran.

"Basically, China says: 'If our interests are harmed in any way, it will impact our business with Tehran. So tell the Houthis to show restraint'," said one official briefed on the talks.

The Iranian sources said that the Chinese officials did not make any specific threats about how the bilateral trade relationship could be affected if China's interests were damaged by Houthi attacks.

The group, which controls a large chunk of Yemen, says its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea are in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

Military strikes by US and UK forces on Houthi positions in Yemen this month failed to stop the attacks, which have raised the cost of shipping and insurance by disrupting a key trade route between Asia and Europe.

Reports say Washington has asked Beijing to use its leverage with Tehran to persuade it to restrain the Houthis, who are armed, funded and trained by the Islamic Republic.

Earlier this month, China's foreign minister called for an end to attacks on civilian ships in the Red Sea, without mentioning the Houthis or Iran.

The four Iranian sources told Reuters it was unclear whether Tehran would take any action following the discussions with Chinese officials.

China has been Iran's biggest trading partner for the past decade, but bilateral trade is unbalanced.

Chinese refineries reportedly bought over 90 percent of Iran's crude exports last year, profiting from heavy discounts as US sanctions kept many customers away.

But Iranian oil only accounts for 10 percent of China's crude imports.