China Speaks Out Amid US Sanctions Threat Over Iran
China has warned that sanctions and pressure tactics will not resolve conflict, as the United States threatens sanctions against Iran and other countries that are trading partners of Tehran.
Beijing authorities are determined to “protect” their interests amid Washington’s sanctions threats.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Monday (24/8/2026), said that the sanctions and pressure tactics deployed by the US would only “trigger an escalation” of the conflict.
“Escalation benefits no one,” Lin cautioned while speaking to reporters in Beijing.
“China calls on the relevant parties to act rationally and with restraint, and to avoid any steps that could further heighten tensions or adversely affect global economic growth and financial stability,” he said.
Lin was answering reporters’ questions about the move by US President Donald Trump’s administration to impose sanctions on Iran and its trading partners amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Lin further urged the conflicting parties to “return to the right track of political settlement through dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible”.
“China will closely monitor the development of the relevant situation and do what is necessary to protect our legitimate rights and interests,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stressed.
Trump last week announced “the most crippling economic operation ever carried out against any country”. He described the maximum pressure campaign against Iran as “economic war and isolation on an unprecedented scale”.
The US President also warned that any country that “provides any form of rescue assistance” to Iran would face “VERY SEVERE economic consequences”.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned third countries not to continue commercial relations with Tehran. He even urged international buyers, especially China, which is Iran’s largest crude oil importer, to stop purchases or risk facing secondary sanctions and financial penalties.
Iran, for its part, has condemned the US sanctions threat as “economic terrorism” and said that such sanctions “will certainly fail”.