Weeks after his country was battered by waves of Israeli strikes and the US bombed three of its prized nuclear facilities, Iran’s foreign minister came to a gathering of regional diplomats in China this week with a simple ask.

"Strengthening air defense capabilities is clearly an urgent priority for Iran at the moment," expert Hongda Fan told Newsweek.

Iran continues to refuse proposal it join regional consortium for enriched uranium as officials prepare for meetings with Russia, China and European nations amid nuclear tensions

China’s purchases of Iranian crude rose in June to the highest since March’s record levels, in part because of speedier loadings as sellers sought to avoid getting tangled in the country’s conflict with Israel,

Iran and Russia have a security agreement although Moscow did not come to Tehran's help when it was under attack by Israel and the United States

About half of Israeli respondents identified Iran as the greatest threat to their country, while 17% said Hamas, according to a Pew Research Center survey published in July 2025, which offered a comparative look at global threat perceptions.

The Agricultural Research Service lost dozens of researchers after the USDA terminated contracts with nationals from four countries of concern.

A report that appeared in Iranian state media IRNA took a swipe at China, saying its “non-interventionist policy” is suitable for a developing country but not for one aspiring a world leadership role