WORLD 🔗 Part of: Tremors from the Middle East (64) · 27 Aug 2026 · 10:09 GMT ·2 min read

China Rejects US Sanctions on Iran as Financial Offensive Intensifies

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced on August 26, 2026, that Beijing opposes new US sanctions on Iran.

NEUTRALITY 85 · BALANCED· 4 sources

Al Jazeera

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced on August 26, 2026, that Beijing opposes new US sanctions on Iran. China will take measures to protect its interests. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the package as the largest financial offensive against Tehran. The United Arab Emirates has halted trade with Iran, and crude exports have stalled. Analysts suggest China will ignore the measures. Roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports go to China. The US maintains that no country is exempt from these penalties.

Context

Tensions rose in the Middle East following a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and a projectile strike on an oil tanker. The US government imposed financial sanctions on Iran in response to these events. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) ended its economic ties with Iran.

Supportive perspectives

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the new sanctions as the most significant financial offensive directed at Iran. He stated that these measures target the Iranian economy and the nation's regional activities.
The United Arab Emirates, formerly Iran's primary trading partner in the Middle East, officially ended all trade with Tehran. This withdrawal removes a significant economic link for the Iranian government.
US President Donald Trump announced on August 25, 2026, that crews cleared all mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital global energy transit route.
Abdolnaser Hemmati, the governor of the Central Bank of Iran, confirmed that crude oil exports have virtually stopped. He attributed this decline to the US naval blockade.

Critical perspectives

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on August 26, 2026, that China opposes the unilateral US sanctions. Beijing pledged to take measures to safeguard its rights and interests against these penalties.
Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft stated that US sanctions against Chinese entities are unlikely to materialize. Parsi cited diplomatic and legal friction as barriers to enforcing these measures against China.
David Oxley, an economist at Capital Economics, forecast that the sanctions will have a limited direct impact on Iranian energy revenues. Oxley stated that China is unlikely to comply with the US policy. This lack of compliance limits the overall effect of the sanctions.
Iran's Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh stated that Tehran is fully prepared for the new sanctions. He confirmed that the government maintains a two-year management plan to mitigate economic pressure.