SINGAPORE (Reuters) -China is the main buyer of oil from Iran, which accounts for roughly 13.6% of purchases this year by the world's largest crude importer, leaving Beijing uniquely exposed to any supply disruption from conflict in the Middle East.

Before Saturday evening’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Chinese Communist Party had demanded that Israel end its attacks on the Islamic Republic and the United States to withhold itself from the conflict.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping routes.

China said the United States' attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has damaged its credibility and it was concerned that the situation "may go out of control", its state broadcaster reported, following a U.