U.S. officials are calling for China to take a more active role in pressuring Iran to change its behavior in the Gulf [1].

This diplomatic push comes as the U.S. seeks to secure international shipping lanes and regional security in the Strait of Hormuz. Because China maintains significant economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran, Washington views Beijing as a critical lever for influencing Iranian policy.

The request was made during diplomatic talks in Beijing coinciding with the summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping on May 13-14 [1, 2]. U.S. officials said they want China to help address what they described as Iran's destabilizing activities in the region [3].

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) emphasized the goal of involving Beijing more deeply in the diplomatic process. "We will push China to take a more active role in Iran negotiations," Rubio said [1]. He said the United States wants China to press Iran to change its course in the Gulf [2].

The U.S. State Department echoed these sentiments during the summit proceedings. "We want China to help us address Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Strait of Hormuz," the U.S. Secretary of State said [3].

The focus on the Strait of Hormuz centers on curbing actions that threaten global shipping. U.S. officials said that coordinated pressure from both Washington and Beijing could more effectively deter Iran from escalating tensions in these strategic waters [2, 3].

“"We will push China to take a more active role in Iran negotiations."”

The U.S. strategy reflects an attempt to leverage China's role as a primary economic partner of Iran to achieve security goals that sanctions alone have not resolved. By linking regional stability in the Gulf to the broader U.S.-China bilateral relationship, Washington is testing whether Beijing is willing to trade its influence over Tehran for diplomatic concessions or stability in its own relations with the U.S.