China against the United States: ‘Sanctions against Iran are illegal’

‘China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend its interests.’ This is Beijing’s official response to the ‘economic D-Day’ launched by Donald Trump’s United States to isolate Iran through harsh sanctions and threats directed even at the Tehran regime’s trading partners. American ambitions are already coming up against resistance – more or less overt – from China and Russia, but also from India, Turkey and Qatar. Meanwhile, regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz – currently a key priority for Trump and the global economy – some progress has been made: a proposal from Washington is reported to have been put to Tehran through Pakistan’s mediation.

“We will not cut anyone any slack; the economic isolation campaign will sever all of Iran’s ties with the outside world,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, directly singling out China, the leading buyer of Iranian oil. But the Chinese authorities, acting on Xi Jinping’s orders, do not appear to be on the same page as the White House. “Pressure exerted as part of an economic war does not solve problems at all. On the contrary, it further fuels tensions and conflicts, causes spillover effects, destabilises the global economic and financial order, and infringes upon the rights and legitimate interests of other countries,” said Lin Jian, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Even the White House, beyond the superficial statements and propaganda, is proceeding with caution towards Beijing: Trump will host Xi Jinping in Washington, partly to discuss a difficult trade truce, and the US appears to have everything to lose – from technology to strategic minerals – from a new economic war. The secondary sanctions introduced by the Trump administration against Iran affect dozens of companies and commercial intermediaries in China and Hong Kong, targeting in particular a technology trade network centred on Sweet Ocean Industrial, which is alleged to have supplied the Iranian defence sector via universities and research institutes. The US has also placed a number of logistics operators accused of links with Iran under scrutiny, including Shenzhen Huamei Lianyun International Logistics, Shenzhen Bositong Logistics and Bositong Supply Chain Shenzhen.

However, in order to avoid a head-on clash, the moves by Trump and Bessent have so far spared the major Chinese banks and financial institutions. “‘China’s cooperation with Iran has always taken place in accordance with the international framework and must not be interfered with or compromised,’ the Chinese government stated, reiterating that ‘China firmly opposes unilateral and illegal sanctions, is monitoring the situation and will take action to safeguard its interests’.

In Tehran, the Pasdaran, who head the military forces, continue to threaten ‘acts of war’ against the US. But diplomacy is proceeding quietly, and positive signs regarding an end to the conflict are emerging from Pakistan’s mediation efforts. The office of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described the visit to Tehran by the head of the Pakistani Army, Field Marshal Asim Munir, as ‘extremely fruitful’. It also referred to ‘diplomatic achievements of great value’, which will yield results ‘soon’. Munir is reported to have conveyed to Iran the US proposal regarding the Strait of Hormuz: an end to the blockade of Iranian ports and the lifting of sanctions, in exchange for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and a cessation of attacks by pro-Iranian groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. In a further development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that ‘Washington does not currently plan to carry out any new military attacks against Iran’.