China's Xi Meets Iran's President Ahead of Trump Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian briefly at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024. This meeting occurred just weeks before Xi's planned trip to Washington, highlighting a subdued public approach to Iran. China's media coverage emphasized other leaders while omitting details about the Xi-Pezeshkian encounter, reflecting Beijing's strategy to manage optics. This is significant as China has been the largest buyer of Iran's oil exports, but imports have sharply declined since recent conflicts began, impacting market dynamics in the oil sector.