China pushed back sharply on Tuesday against expanded U.S. economic sanctions targeting Iran, making clear its intention to defend and maintain its strategic bilateral cooperation with Tehran. The official response follows an announcement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent detailing Washington’s aggressive new sanctions package aimed at sharply escalating economic pressure against the Iranian regime.
1+Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated during a press briefing in Beijing that economic cooperation between China and Iran operates strictly within the framework of international law and should not be disrupted by external forces. Lin emphasized that Beijing is closely monitoring unfolding developments and will take all necessary countermeasures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and economic interests.
Lin went on to criticize the Trump administration’s coercive economic policy: “Economic warfare and maximum pressure are not the solution,” he warned, cautioning that unilateral enforcement actions risk inflaming regional tensions, triggering economic spillover effects, disrupting the international financial architecture, and harming third-party sovereign interests.
1+The Chinese response comes after Bessent also threatened secondary sanctions on countries and entities that continue to maintain economic ties with Iran. In Beijing, officials emphasized they oppose unilateral sanctions not based on international law and lacking UN Security Council approval, and called for a return to dialogue and negotiation aimed at reducing tensions.