China has repeatedly said it opposes sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, but Beijing could make concessions to protect its wider interests, especially in terms of Sino-US ties, experts say.
Of the six major world powers working to defuse the standoff with Tehran, Beijing and Moscow have so far formed a united front, rejecting sanctions and pushing for further negotiations despite intensifying pressure from Washington.
Their commercial interests could be a factor in their decision-making, experts say -- China and Russia are the two countries with the biggest stakes in Iran's natural gas sector.
Iran also is the number three source of crude oil for energy-hungry China, and trade between the two countries has exploded in recent years, amounting to 28 billion dollars in 2008, according to official figures.
