In the jumbled chessboard games of international politics, national interests often outweigh ideological alignment, and China’s support for Iran is no exception.

The war started on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran because, according to Israel, Iran should not have nuclear weapons.

However, on June 21, the US strike on Iran’s three nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – gave the situation a new dimension.

The US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen Caine, has stated that “an initial battle damage assessment showed that all three sites had suffered extreme severe damage and destruction.”

However, Firstpost reported that three Boeing 747 aircraft from China flew to Iran over three consecutive days, raising speculation about possible military support.

The first plane departed on Saturday, shortly after Israel launched its initial strikes on Iran. The second and third flights followed on Sunday and Monday.

These Boeing 747s are typically used for transporting heavy military equipment, and all three followed a similar route — travelling west through northern China, then over Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Each plane disappeared from radar near Iranian airspace. Although flight records listed Luxembourg as the final destination, none of the aircraft approached Europe.

Given the aircraft type and identical flight paths, many observers believe these flights may signal Chinese assistance to Iran.

Now the main question: why did China “allegedly” helped Iran?

• Iran is a key supplier of crude oil to China, which is the world’s largest energy importer.

• China sees Iran as a critical piece in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to connect Asia, Europe, and Africa via trade and infrastructure.

• Iran gives China a foothold near key maritime checkpoints like the Strait of Hormuz which is crucial for global oil transit.

• Beijing’s refining sector is said to be incredibly dependent on cheap oil from Tehran.

• China also pays for the oil in yuan rather than in dollars, which makes Iran, in turn, spend money on Chinese goods.

Another question is: will China “allegedly” help Iran?

The answer to this question is that China will likely help Iran regarding its conflict with Israel.

The question of when this will it occur depends on China and its government and the intensity of the conflict between Iran and Israel.

However, China’s priority is to protect its own interests, maintain regional stability, and avoid being dragged into a war that could threaten global trade and its strategic balancing act.