Dubai, 17 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): China has privately urged Iran to use its influence to rein in Yemen’s Houthis following an appeal from Saudi Arabia amid the group’s rapid military advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to three Iranian sources familiar with the matter. The sources said Riyadh sought Beijing’s assistance after the Houthi advances increased risks to Saudi oil exports and regional shipping. While China has publicly called for restraint, dialogue and the restoration of safe navigation, its private message to Tehran reportedly went further, urging Iran to help prevent the conflict from spreading across vital energy routes on which China depends. The Iranian sources said Tehran responded that regional stability and peace depended on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing did not want regional tensions to spill over further into Yemen and the Red Sea, stressing that escalating instability was not in the interests of any party. It called for respect for the sovereignty and security of all countries and urged an end to actions that could further complicate the situation. China is Iran’s largest trading partner and a major buyer of Iranian oil, giving Beijing significant economic leverage. Analysts say China’s diplomatic influence was demonstrated in 2023 when it brokered an agreement restoring relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, although questions remain over whether Beijing is prepared to use its economic and strategic influence to persuade Tehran to act against the Houthis. The situation has raised concerns about wider disruption to shipping and energy supplies, particularly as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high.