China Reiterates Opposition to New US Sanctions on Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - China, Iran's largest trading partner and top oil customer, repeated its opposition on Friday to tougher US sanctions on Iran after the US House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at halting Iran's oil exports.
The bill seeks to cut Iran's oil exports by a further one million barrels per day to near zero over a year. The legislation provides for heavy penalties for buyers who do not find alternative supplies.
"China has long advocated resolution through dialogue and negotiations and opposes unilateral sanctions from one nation based on its domestic laws," the ministry of foreign affairs said in a faxed statement to Reuters.
"In particular, it opposes sanctions that will hurt the interests of a third party," it added, without elaborating.
China has consistently advocated resolving Iran's nuclear program through talks and has opposed what it views as unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union made outside the framework of the United Nations.
