According to a Wall Street Journal report cited by Amar Desh Online, Iran exported crude oil worth about $6 billion to China within 20 days after the United States temporarily lifted its export sanctions. The sanctions were lifted on June 17, 2026, following an agreement signed in Islamabad, but were reimposed on July 7 amid renewed tensions. During this brief window, Iran shipped nearly 70 million barrels of crude oil to China using around 20 tankers routed through Malaysia’s eastern coast.

The report stated that Iran took full advantage of the short sanction-free period to boost its oil exports. China remains Iran’s largest oil buyer, purchasing about 90 percent of its total exports. Even during previous sanction periods, Iranian tankers reportedly transferred oil to Chinese vessels in the Eastern Outer Port Limits area of the South China Sea.

After sanctions were reinstated on July 7, the United States also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, preventing Iranian ships from leaving and foreign vessels from entering.