Iran secretly runs oil terminals in China, leaked letter shows
A leaked letter just revealed that Iran has been quietly running oil terminals and storage sites in China to dodge US sanctions.
Under President Masoud Pezeshkian, sanctioned vessels have been delivering oil straight to these ports, skipping the usual shipping routes.
The letter from Iran's former head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and current acting oil minister, Hamid Bovard, shows how determined Iran is to keep its oil exports flowing despite all the restrictions.
China seeks discounts on Iranian crude
Iran now manages key terminals and storage tanks in places like Ningbo-Zhoushan, Qingdao, Dalian, and Huizhou, making it easier to get crude directly into Chinese refineries.
But things aren't exactly smooth: China wants bigger discounts and isn't agreeing to import more Iranian crude for now.
It's a tricky balancing act as both countries try to keep their energy partnership going under tough circumstances.