China Continues Importing Iranian Oil Through ‘Backdoor’ Route Bypassing Strait of Hormuz

Sources say shipments routed through Iran’s Jask port and a strategic pipeline is allowing crude to bypass the Strait of Hormuz despite escalating conflict.

China continues to receive Iranian crude oil through alternative routes designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, a global energy chokepoint at risk of closure amid the Iran War, according to several China-based industry sources and analysts who spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisal.

One of those routes centers on Iran’s southeastern port of Jask, a relatively new export terminal outside the Strait of Hormuz that allows oil tankers to load crude directly into the Gulf of Oman, avoiding the narrow waterway where military tensions are highest.

A Chinese industry insider familiar with the China–Iran oil trade told The Epoch Times that Iranian oil shipments to China have remained largely unaffected by the conflict.

“Since the outbreak of the war, Iranian crude arriving at ports in [China’s] Shandong and Zhejiang has continued almost normally,” the insider said.

According to the insider, the continued flow of oil is not accidental but the result of contingency planning between Beijing and Tehran before the conflict escalated.

“Before the war began, Beijing had already reached an understanding with senior Iranian officials about how to move oil to China if the situation spiraled out of control,” the insider said. “Most of Iran’s exported crude ultimately ends up in the Chinese market.”

The insider added that shortly before the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran began, China’s trade authorities circulated an internal directive to subordinate agencies. The instruction called for preparing for two possible scenarios—one in which Iranian oil supplies could be cut off entirely, and another involving emergency measures to significantly increase Russian oil imports.

Jask Emerges as New Export Hub

The insider noted that Iran’s Jask port has become a critical node for maintaining exports during the conflict.

The port lies outside the Strait of Hormuz, allowing tankers to sail directly into the Gulf of Oman without passing through the narrow strait.

In an X post on March 13, Financial research platform Global Markets Investor stated that Iran’s crude exports have averaged about 2.1 million barrels per day since the war began, slightly higher than the roughly 2 million barrels per day exported before the conflict.

The insider said a large share of the additional volumes is believed to be heading to China via alternative routes, including Jask.

“At a time when global energy prices are soaring, and many tankers are avoiding the region, vessels linked to China’s so-called shadow fleet remain unusually active in the Gulf of Oman,” the insider said.

Some analysts argue the continued oil trade reflects deeper geopolitical calculations.

A Belgium-based retired Chinese scholar in foreign policy told The Epoch Times that Beijing’s purchases of Iranian oil could provide Tehran with a critical economic lifeline during the conflict.

By Michael Zhuang

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