China opposes unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran

China strongly opposes “illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law” and are not authorised by the UN Security Council, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference.

The statement came as a Mahan Air flight from Tehran successfully landed in the Chinese city of Guangzhou on September 23, despite Washington’s warnings over sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector.

The flight arrived in China just hours before an expected meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Washington has expanded sanctions pressure on Iran’s aviation sector, with the US Treasury designating 27 Iranian airlines on September 8 and warning that foreign entities facilitating Iran’s aviation activities could face secondary sanctions and restrictions on access to the US financial system.

In a recent CNBC interview, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that, starting September 23, foreign airports, fuel suppliers and other service providers assisting Iranian airlines could face US sanctions, potentially disrupting their access to international aviation services.

By Jeyhun Aghazada