China Warns It Will Protect Rights Amid New Iran Sanctions

By Staff, Agencies

China said Monday it will closely monitor developments and take necessary measures to protect its rights as the United States prepares a new round of sanctions against Iran and its trading partners.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing would closely follow Washington's efforts to expand its sanctions campaign against Tehran, with the expected measures likely to target countries and entities maintaining trade ties with Iran.

"Sanctions and pressure tactics do not help to resolve issues," Lin said at a regular press conference, calling on all parties to act rationally and exercise restraint.

The warning comes as Washington prepares to intensify its economic pressure on Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to provide further details of the planned measures after threatening to impose the "toughest sanctions in history" on Iran and urging China to cooperate with Washington.

The demand places Beijing under additional pressure because of its extensive economic ties with Iran and continued engagement with countries targeted by US unilateral restrictions.

Beijing has repeatedly opposed unilateral coercive measures, arguing that sanctions and economic pressure are ineffective in resolving international disputes.

The planned measures represent another expansion of Washington's efforts to economically isolate Iran, increasingly extending beyond Iranian entities to third countries, companies and financial institutions that maintain economic relations with Tehran.

Such measures can also involve secondary penalties against foreign actors that refuse to comply with Washington's restrictions, extending the reach of US sanctions beyond its own jurisdiction.

China's warning therefore carries implications beyond its relations with Iran, reflecting Beijing's broader opposition to the use of US financial and economic power as an instrument of foreign policy.