China frequently asserts its dedication to respecting national sovereignty and fostering equitable development. In official statements, Chinese leaders emphasize principles like mutual respect, non-interference, and peaceful coexistence. For instance, the Chinese government has declared: “China’s resolve to develop friendship and cooperation with all countries will not change. We will actively expand global partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation.” Additionally, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which include mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, are central to China’s foreign policy.
However, China’s actions in Iran tell a different story. While the Islamic Republic of Iran positions itself as a leader in resisting imperialism and Zionism, the reality reveals a nation ensnared in structural corruption, lacking a free press, independent unions, or political organizations. This environment has become a fertile ground for exploitation by foreign powers, including China.
Far from being a strategic partner in resistance, China capitalizes on Iran’s vulnerabilities. It secures cheap Iranian oil and engages in infrastructure projects that often remain incomplete or are abandoned, all while simultaneously expanding its trade relations with Israel. Caught in the middle is the Iranian populace, largely excluded from the nation’s wealth and decision-making processes.
Old Airplanes for Oil
The story begins with a report by ILNA, a semi-official news agency in Iran. According to the report, two used Airbus A330 airplanes—each worth less than $30 million—were delivered to Iran’s national airline (Homa) by a little-known Chinese company named Haokun Energy. But these planes were not bought with money—they were exchanged for oil.
The final price for the two planes? $116 million. That’s nearly double their real value. Even considering sanctions and transport costs, experts believe the real value is under $60 million.
Worse, the same Chinese company still hasn’t paid off its full debt to Iran. During the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi, this company was also awarded huge contracts—such as expanding Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport and electrifying the Tehran–Mashhad railway. It also promised to supply 55 airplanes and thousands of train wagons. But most of these projects were either abandoned or never started. The only visible outcome was the delivery of two overpriced, second-hand aircraft.
These kinds of deals are not exceptions. They are part of a system where corruption is not a failure—it is the rule.
There is no free press to investigate these contracts. Journalists are arrested. No independent unions can protest on behalf of workers. No political organization can ask who profits from these deals. All institutions of oversight either belong to the regime or are tightly controlled by it.
In this environment, countries like China can operate freely. They know that the Iranian government—isolated by sanctions, desperate for trade, and afraid of public pressure—will accept almost any deal. There is no accountability, no transparency, and no public debate. It is a perfect setup for a quiet, systematic plunder of national resources.
Meanwhile: China’s Growing Trade with Israel
Now let’s look at the other side. In 2024, China was Israel’s largest source of imports: $19 billion in goods. It was also one of the top buyers of Israeli products, importing $2.8 billion worth. This trade continues without interruption, despite Iran’s constant anti-Israel propaganda.
While Iran provides China with cheap oil, China builds high-tech, military, and commercial partnerships with Israel. It is business as usual—one partner gives resources without asking questions, and the other offers technology and access to Western markets.
This exposes the Islamic Republic’s biggest contradiction: while it chants “Death to Israel,” its closest ally, China, maintains close and growing economic ties with the Israeli state. China is not part of any anti-Zionist front. It simply takes what it can—from both sides.
These “Leaks” Are Not for the People
But why was this recent airplane deal reported at all? Is this a sign of transparency or reform?
No. In reality, most of these so-called “leaks” or investigations are part of internal power struggles within the Islamic Republic. They are not meant to inform the public. They are meant to weaken political rivals.
There are two main factions inside the regime:
- The “Eastern-Islamic” faction, which supports partnerships with China and Russia, promotes economic isolation, and is backed by military and intelligence agencies.
- The “Neoliberal-Islamic” faction, which wants to reduce sanctions, attract global investment, and build a predictable economy. This group includes technocrats, urban capitalists, and parts of the middle class who prefer integration over confrontation.
These two factions are fighting not over ideology, but over how to survive—and who will benefit most from the state’s limited resources.
The Haokun Energy scandal likely emerged from this internal battle. The goal is not justice or accountability—it’s to shift the balance of power. When one faction grows weaker, the other tries to expose its failures. But both sides remain committed to a system where people have no voice and corruption continues unchecked.
In the end, what we see is not resistance against imperialism—it is submission to a different kind of empire. China has found in Iran a client state that cannot resist, cannot question, and cannot protect its own resources.
At the same time, China grows its economic partnership with Israel, a state that Iran claims to oppose above all others. There is no ethical contradiction for China. There is only profit.
What makes this possible is not just foreign policy. It is the deep internal repression of Iran itself. A government that jails journalists, bans unions, and outlaws political opposition has made its own people powerless. In this silence, exploitation becomes easy—routine—even invisible.
Without People, There Is No Protection
The Islamic Republic says it is defending Iran’s independence. But in reality, it has built a system where foreign powers can take what they want, while the people of Iran live under sanctions, poverty, and fear.
Real independence needs more than slogans. It needs freedom of speech, the right to organize, and the ability of society to hold power accountable. None of these exist today in Iran.
Until the Iranian people reclaim their voice, until journalists can report freely, and workers can organize without fear, there will be no defense—neither against foreign exploitation nor domestic theft. Only a different face on the same system of control.
