Pressure policy of US to not solve Iran crisis
China has said that imposing “sanctions and pressure” on Iran will not help resolve the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Beijing also reiterated that unilateral sanctions imposed without United Nations authorization have no basis in international law.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks during a regular press briefing on Friday (August 21). Earlier, Washington had urged China and other countries to join a US-led effort to isolate Iran’s economy.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to further increase economic pressure on Iran. Washington claims that such pressure could lead to the collapse of Iran’s governing system. Tehran, however, has described the US initiative as “economic terrorism” and said the strategy will fail.
Nearly six months after the war began, tensions between Iran and the United States remain high. Meanwhile, Washington has launched a new effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
Asked about Trump’s latest threat, Lin Jian said, “Sanctions and pressure will not help solve any problems.” He urged all relevant parties to act responsibly and resolve the crisis through political and diplomatic means.
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has backed the Trump administration’s efforts to increase economic pressure on Iran. Asked by CNBC whether Washington would seek to involve China in the campaign, Bessent said many important discussions are better conducted privately rather than publicly. At the same time, he called on Beijing to join the initiative.
Responding to Bessent’s remarks, Lin Jian again urged all parties involved in the conflict to take responsible steps toward a resolution.
Reiterating China’s position, Lin said Beijing opposes what it considers illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and have not been authorized by the UN Security Council.
China’s stance could pose a significant diplomatic challenge to the US-led effort to impose additional economic pressure on Iran.
