Weeks after his country was battered by waves of Israeli strikes and the US bombed three of its prized nuclear facilities, Iran’s foreign minister came to a gathering of regional diplomats in China this week with a simple ask.

Iran, China and Russia are set to discuss the threat of sanctions and its nuclear program in a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Newsweek has reached out to the U.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China’s dependence on Iranian and Russian oil is a key issue in upcoming trade talks.

Foreign ministry directors general to hold talks in Iran's capital; Tehran says currently no plans to resume talks with US, accuses European nations of breaking deal commitments

"Strengthening air defense capabilities is clearly an urgent priority for Iran at the moment," expert Hongda Fan told Newsweek.

“If the Middle East is unstable, the world will not be at peace,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said June 19. “If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China can continue to purchase Iranian oil after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, a move that the White House clarified did not indicate a relaxation of U.

Iran's foreign minister visits China after Israel conflict, highlighting efforts to deepen ties amid regional and U.S. tensions.

China’s purchases of Iranian crude rose in June to the highest since March’s record levels, in part because of speedier loadings as sellers sought to avoid getting tangled in the country’s conflict with Israel,

China's oil imports from Iran surged in June as shipments accelerated before the recent conflict between Israel and Iran and demand from independent refineries improved, analysts said.

Could Europe's August deadline be the most important date in the decades-long nuclear standoff, or will Iran face more sanctions? Israel’s and the US’s historic attack on Iran between June 13 and June 24 set back the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program by around two years,