China on Tuesday announced its opposition to U.S. sanctions, which it described as \u201cillegal,\u201d imposed on Iranian airlines, a day after statements by the U.S. Treasury Secretary regarding their imminent cessation of operations under pressure from U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\n
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman \u201cGuo Jiakun\u201d said at a press conference that his country \u201chas consistently opposed unilateral, illegal sanctions that are not in line with international law and have not been approved by the United Nations Security Council,\u201d according to Agence France-Presse.<\/p>\n
U.S. Treasury Secretary \u201cScott Bessent\u201d had said that all Iranian airlines would cease operations as of September 23. He added in an interview with CNBC: \u201cHow will we do that? If these aircraft land, they will not be allowed to refuel, landing services will not be provided to them, and tickets will not be allowed to be sold for them. Otherwise, the violating entity will be excluded from the dollar-based financial system.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBessent\u201d explained that Washington is exerting pressure on Iran \u201con an unprecedented scale,\u201d stressing that the United States is targeting entities supporting Tehran around the world, including banking institutions. The U.S. Treasury Department had announced last week the imposition of new sanctions on Russia\u2019s state-owned VTB Bank, as part of efforts to economically isolate Iran by targeting its trading partners and what it describes as \u201cfinancial facilitators\u201d who help it circumvent sanctions.<\/p>\n
\u201cBessent\u201d pointed out that Chinese officials are \u201cdeeply involved\u201d in the U.S. campaign of economic pressure on Iran. On September 8, the United States imposed sanctions on \u201call remaining Iranian airlines\u201d that had still been outside the scope of U.S. measures aimed at increasing economic pressure on Tehran.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Treasury Department said the measure also targets \u201c36 entities providing support to Iran\u2019s aviation sector, which the regime uses to transport weapons, personnel, and illicit shipments.\u201d<\/p>\n
The department explained that the sanctions, which come under \u201cOperation Economic Outcast,\u201d also target front companies, foreign intermediaries, and convoluted shipping routes used by Iran to obtain U.S.-made aircraft and sensitive technology.<\/p>\n
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