Beijing shunned US requests to rein in energy investment in Iran, said the congressional aide. But that changed, echoing a broader Chinese effort to douse down tensions with Washington. "They have essentially put out the word, 'Hold off'," he said. "The thing that I can tell you for certain is that the Chinese are taking credit for their restraint," he said.
Many US lawmakers believe Beijing has not done enough to curtail ties with Iran. New legislation could increase pressure on the Obama administration to punish Chinese energy firms, said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a Washington D.C.-based institute that favours stronger sanctions against Iran.