Chinese envoy rejects ‘Unilateral’ US sanctions over Iranian oil purchases
China's Ambassador to Tehran dismissed recent US pressure over oil purchases from Iran and Russia as "unilateral", stating opposition to such sanctions and insisting normal trade with Iran "will not be negatively affected.”
In an interview with ISNA, Zhong Peiwu responded to US recent pressure on his country to stop purchasing oil from Iran and Russia, and to the imposition of increased tariffs on Beijing, saying, “China opposes the unilateral sanctions of the United States, and normal trade between China and Iran will not be negatively affected by these actions.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said he warned Chinese officials that continued purchases of sanctioned Russian oil would lead to big tariffs due to legislation in Congress, but was told that Beijing would protect its energy sovereignty.
Wrapping up two days of US-China trade talks in Stockholm, Bessent said he also expressed US displeasure at China's continued purchases of sanctioned Iranian oil, and its sales of over $15 billion worth of dual-use technology goods to Russia that have bolstered Moscow's war against Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Peiwu said, “To put it simply, trade between China and Iran is normal trade; meaning this normal trade should not be subject to unilateral sanctions by a third party.”
The Chinese diplomat further emphasized, "It is for this reason that we oppose hegemony and unilateralism, especially the unilateral sanctions of the United States. Normal trade between China and Iran will not be negatively affected by this factor."
China's oil imports from Iran surged in June. The world's top oil importer and biggest buyer of Iranian crude brought in more than 1.8 million barrels per day from June 1-20, according to ship-tracker Vortexa, a record high based on the firm's data, Reuters reported.
The US secretary of treasury, whose department is responsible for enforcing sanctions on Iran, had said in early months of Trump’s current presidency that Washington was committed to reducing Iran’s oil exports to below 100,000 bpd.
Vortexa released figures in July showing that Iran had been shipping an average of 1.8 million bpd of oil in certain weeks in the past few months. However, its most recent figures show Iran has stabilized its exports at high levels.
The data shows that even a 12-day Israeli war of aggression on Iran, which took place last month and was supported by the US, failed to affect the country’s booming presence in the international oil markets.