Russia and Iran Slash Oil Prices to Secure China Market Share

Market Intelligence Analysis

AI-Powered
Why This Matters

Russia and Iran are offering discounted oil prices to secure market share in China, as other countries shun their sanctioned supply. China's independent refiners remain the primary buyers of this supply. This move highlights Russia's limited export markets and its reliance on China.

Market Impact

Market impact analysis based on bearish sentiment with 80% confidence.

Sentiment
Bearish
AI Confidence
80%
Time Horizon
Short Term

Article Context

Note: This is a brief excerpt for context. Click below to read the full article on the original source.

Discounts for Russian and Iranian crude have widened in recent weeks as China’s independent refiners have remained the only buyers not shunning sanctioned supply, which is amassing in floating storage at sea. India’s pivot away from Russian crude oil has been a major hit to Russia’s already limited export markets. Now China remains the only “safe” market for Moscow to rely on. But Chinese independent refiners in the Shandong province, the so-called teapots, continue to buy sanctioned Iranian supply, too,…

Continue Reading
Full article on OilPrice.com
Read Full Article
Original article published by OilPrice.com on February 25, 2026.
Analysis and insights provided by AnalystMarkets AI.