Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas (Getty Images)
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said China’s economic and military support for Iran should be a central issue in U.S.-China relations, arguing that Beijing is helping Tehran maintain its ability to wage war and withstand American sanctions.
Cruz made the comments Friday on “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” a 35-minute podcast hosted by Ben Ferguson.
The episode, titled “Communist China Comes to Washington” was released as President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Washington.
Discussing the summit, Cruz said China’s relationship with Iran was “front and center” among the issues he believed Trump should raise with Xi.
“I think front and center was China’s assistance to Iran,” Cruz said, specifically citing Chinese purchases of Iranian oil and the provision of military equipment.
He added that he was “quite confident” Trump pressed Xi “to stop bailing out Iran” and strengthen economic pressure on Tehran.
Cruz also pointed to China’s purchases of Iranian oil as a major source of revenue for the Iranian government.
He said that at the height of Iran’s oil exports during the Biden administration, Iran was selling roughly 2 million barrels per day, “most of which was going to China,” generating more than $100 billion for Tehran.
Independent U.S. government reporting supports the broader point that Chinese companies have been important buyers of Iranian petroleum.
In April, the Treasury Department sanctioned a Chinese refinery, saying the company had purchased billions of dollars of Iranian petroleum and that Chinese “teapot” refineries purchase the majority of Iran’s crude oil.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission has also documented broader Chinese assistance to Iran.
A September report said China has helped Tehran sustain oil exports, evade sanctions and obtain dual-use technologies relevant to drones and ballistic missiles.
The commission said Chinese components have been identified in Iranian drones.
There have also been more direct military-related reports.
Reuters reported in July that Iran was expected to receive as many as 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense systems, citing three sources familiar with the deal.
Beijing has denied supporting the conflict and said it favors peace.
Earlier this year, the Treasury Department sanctioned China- and Hong Kong-based entities over alleged assistance with Iranian weapons procurement.
Cruz’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny of the China-Iran relationship.
The congressional China committee said this week that China’s support includes helping Iran evade oil sanctions and alleged that Chinese satellite imagery has been used in connection with attacks on U.S. military assets.
For Cruz, the issue extends beyond Iran.
He described the broader U.S.-China competition as the defining geopolitical contest of the coming century, arguing that Washington should reduce critical supply chain dependence on Beijing while competing aggressively with China in artificial intelligence.© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
