China warns US as Iran sanctions widen; Tehran says it is 'fully prepared'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "China warns US as Iran sanctions widen; Tehran says it is 'fully prepared'")
US President Donald Trump (2nd R) walks with China’s President Xi Jinping (C) as he leaves after a visit to Zhongnanhai Garden in Beijing on May 15, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
China warned Washington against unilateral sanctions on Iran as the US widened its sanctions campaign. Tehran said it was fully prepared to respond.
China has warned Washington that it will safeguard its interests after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the widening of the sanctions campaign against Iran, and warned that nations financially partnering with Iran will be isolated. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that China was opposed to "illegal unilateral sanctions" and would take "all necessary measures" to safeguard its rights.
“China has made clear on many occasions its firm opposition to illicit unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or the authorisation of the UN Security Council,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. “The pressing task is to facilitate de-escalation of the situation and return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible.”
Beijing has warned that these sanctions will "further intensify tensions” and that China’s cooperation with Iran should not be disrupted.
“Economic warfare and maximum pressure will not help resolve the issue. They will only further intensify tensions and conflicts, create spillover risks,” said China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a regular press briefing. “China’s cooperation with Iran has always been conducted within the framework of international law and should not be disrupted or undermined.”
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US Treasury Secretary called these new measures "the single greatest financial offensive ever" and warned of dire consequences for countries with economic ties to Iran. He warned that banks and businesses will share in Iran's isolation if they refuse to cut ties with Iran.
“Every country has a defined timeline to shut down activities we have identified. If they do not take action, we will do so unilaterally through Treasury authorities,” said Bessent. Though he did not specifically name those countries, he hinted that Trump would be phoning world leaders "with specific requests to cease their interactions with the regime". The major nations that were going to be impacted are China, India, Egypt, UAE and Iraq, according to Daniel Tannebaum, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. China is the largest trading partner of Iran, and the success of the US economic sanctions campaign will be toothless without China.
Iran said it is “fully prepared”
Iran's Finance Minister Ali Madanizadeh told the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran News Network that Tehran is “fully prepared for the sanctions”, and said that they have been long expecting this. He added that Iran has a long "two-year plan" for this.
“We know how to play this game. This time, they should not think our response will be purely defensive and that we will only defend ourselves. They should also expect us to go on the offensive,” said Ali Madanizadeh.
