Following the US announcement that it would expand economic sanctions against Iran and its trading partners, including Beijing, China has pledged to defend its interests. China is adamantly against what it refers to as “illegal unilateral sanctions” and will take “all necessary measures” to protect its rights, according to Lin Jian, a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry.
This followed the announcement of the new restrictions by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday, who threatened to isolate any country that partnered financially with Iran. Despite a decrease in trade due to the US blockade of Iran’s ports, China remains the largest customer of Iranian oil. Lin stated: “Cooperation between China and Iran has always been conducted within the framework of international law and should not be interfered with or disrupted.”
Bessent called the proposed sanctions “the single greatest financial offensive ever” against Iran and warned companies and banks that if they didn’t sever relations with Iran, they would also be subject to isolation. He stated that US President Donald Trump will be calling international leaders “with specific requests to cease their interactions with the regime” but declined to mention any particular countries. But Bessent clarified that “no one was above the reach of US sanctions” in response to a query concerning Chinese institutions.
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