China's Imports of Iranian Oil Have Nearly Halved Since the War, Falling to 534,000 Barrels a Day in August

According to ship-tracking data from Kpler cited by The National on August 26, 2026, China's imports of Iranian crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz averaged about 534,000 barrels a day in July and August, a level 48% below pre-war volumes and 72% below the October 2024 peak of nearly 1.9 million barrels a day. The Guardian reported separately on August 25, 2026, citing the same Kpler data, that Chinese imports of Iranian oil fell to 785,000 barrels a day in June and to about 534,000 barrels a day in August. The reports say the US blockade of Iranian ports and ships, renewed in July, combined with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al Mandeb, has pushed China's independent "teapot" refiners toward costlier alternative routes such as the Suez Canal. China is estimated to hold 1 to 1.4 billion barrels of oil reserves, giving it a buffer to absorb the disruption, according to the reports.