China says opposes ‘illegal’ US sanctions on Iran airlines

China expressed opposition to the United States' alleged "illegal" sanctions on Iranian airlines on Tuesday, following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's threat of potential measures in a TV interview. Bessent stated that all Iranian airlines would be shut down globally within days due to American sanctions, as the Trump administration aims to intensify pressure on Tehran.

Beijing, being a major economic partner and diplomatic supporter of Iran, vehemently denounced the threats as "illegal unilateral sanctions" lacking international law backing or UN Security Council authorization. This criticism occurred just before the upcoming US-China summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran began late February when US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's supreme leader and senior military officials, leading Tehran to block the Strait of Hormuz and cause global oil prices to skyrocket.

The US imposed sanctions on remaining Iranian airlines this month and targeted targets supporting Iran's aviation sector, including non-Iranian-based firms. Treasury Secretary Bessent vowed to declare an "economic D-Day" on Iran, aiming to cripple Tehran financially by cutting off fuel supplies, landing services, ticket sales, and dollar transactions.