Sanctions on Iran's oil buyers put China in focus
The US is signaling sanctions on countries that buy Iranian oil, with China—the world’s largest energy consumer and Iran’s top buyer—likely to feel the most pressure. Analysts say roughly 90% of Iran’s exported oil goes to China, though Chinese imports have fallen recently as demand and refinery runs slow; India and others have also reduced purchases. Because shipping under sanctions is hard to track and the market is sensitive to price shifts, the actual impact on global oil and US energy costs remains uncertain.
