Hamed Vafaei, a China affairs expert at the University of Tehran, attributed Beijing’s silence to a traditional Chinese proverb: “Sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight.”
The phrase reflects China’s deliberate neutrality in conflicts where it sees high costs and limited direct benefits.
According to Vafaei, while Iran and China signed a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement years ago, real strategic integration has not materialized.
Unlike countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have tied key sectors of their economies to China, Iran has yet to establish a consistent economic foothold in Beijing’s value chain.
China, cautious of Western traps and focused on its own century-long national development goals, avoids direct involvement in high-risk security crises. Its support for partners like Iran is typically limited to diplomatic or economic gestures.
Vafaei stressed that unless Iran deepens its strategic and economic ties with China, particularly in energy and industry, it should not expect Beijing to take sides in future security matters.
