China Seeks Iran's Help to Rein in Houthi Rebels Amid Saudi Concerns

China has privately asked Iran to rein in the Houthi rebels after Saudi Arabia sought help from Beijing, according to three Iranian sources quoted by Reuters. The request came as the Houthis made rapid advances along Yemen's Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, leaving Saudi oil exports and shipping more exposed.

The Chinese government has publicly called for restraint and dialogue in the region, but its private message to Tehran went further. Beijing asked Iran to help prevent the conflict from spreading across energy routes that China depends on, particularly those that pass through the Red Sea.

Iran responded by saying that stability and peace in the region depend on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. Chinese officials did not issue explicit threats or indicate that they would impose economic pressure on Tehran if it failed to use its influence over the Houthis.

The Houthi advances have added another pressure point to an energy market already disrupted by the wider conflict in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut since Iran began blocking the waterway, while sustained Houthi attacks on vessels or ports in the Red Sea could disrupt major routes for Middle Eastern oil exports.