By Jonathan Saul and Marwa Rashad LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - China is in talks with Iran to allow crude oil and Qatari liquefied natural gas vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as the U.

Analysts debate whether the absence of Chinese support for the embattled regime is a matter of strategy or capability.

China imported about 1.4 million barrels a day — or 13% of China's total seaborne oil imports — from Iran last year, according to Kpler, a data and analytics company. But the

Despite global sanctions on Iranian oil, China was its number one customer, buying up about 90% of it, also supplying Iran several components for weapons, and by some accounts, the weapons themselves, which in some cases haven’t worked..

China imports roughly half of its oil from the Middle East.

Beijing has condemned the U.S.-backed strikes on Iran, a close partner. Yet with trade talks looming, it is unlikely to risk a rupture with Washington.

Iran's closest allies, Russia and China, have not offered material support to it, exposing the hard limits of its "strategic" partnerships.

China is watching carefully as the United States and Israel bombard Iran. Beijing is, after all, Tehran’s most important partner. The two countries grew close over shared history and goals: both trace their roots to leading ancient non-Western civilizations,

China's embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for ​comment on whether the Iran situation had changed plans to host ⁠Trump. Asked about the implications of the Ira

In quick succession, US President Donald Trump has taken out two of Beijing’s closest allies: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.