China Slams 'Illegal' US Sanctions on Iranian Airlines — SkimNews
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- China's Foreign Ministry said it opposes "illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorisation from the UN Security Council," with spokesman Guo Jiakun making the remarks at a Sept 22 news conference.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Sept 21 that "all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world" within days, warning that any country providing fuel, landing services, or ticket sales would be "knocked out of the dollar system."
- The US Treasury imposed sanctions in September on "all remaining Iranian airlines" that had not yet faced penalties, while also targeting firms based outside Iran that support Tehran's aviation sector.
- Bessent made his sanctions comments one day after meeting Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng for economic talks aimed at laying groundwork for the Trump-Xi summit scheduled to begin Sept 24.
- Bessent had previously vowed the US would declare "economic D-Day" on Iran and pledged to choke off Tehran financially as part of the Trump administration's pressure campaign.
Why it matters: Beijing's public defense of Iran's airlines just two days before the Trump-Xi summit forces the US to balance its maximum-pressure campaign on Tehran against maintaining diplomatic leverage with its largest economic interlocutor. Bessent's dollar-system threat extends enforcement extraterritorially, putting third-country service providers and airlines at risk of financial isolation.
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