Diplomacy & Geopolitics
China says it will protect interests after US Iran sanctions
China said Tuesday it would safeguard its own interests after the United States expanded its Iran sanctions campaign and warned of wider penalties against countries and entities that continue economic ties with Tehran.
The US Treasury Department said Monday it had targeted 60 individuals, companies and vessels and expanded secondary sanctions to Iran's digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping sectors.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington's objective was to cut off Iran's economic lifelines. He said countries that do not join US sanctions would “share” in Iran's isolation, and said President Donald Trump was calling world leaders to ask them to stop interactions with Tehran.
The Treasury Department said the new sanctions hit people, companies and vessels that allegedly aid Iran in oil revenue generation, weapons procurement and cyber operations. The targets include entities in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Europe.
Asked whether Chinese banks would be targeted, Bessent said “no one is above the reach of US sanctions.” The announcement named no specific countries beyond Iran and gave no timelines.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh dismissed the threat and said Tehran had expected the plans. He said the government had a two-year plan to manage the measures and predicted “another defeat” for Washington.
The move came almost six months into a war on Iran, with peace talks stalled and Tehran blocking most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Maritime tracker Kpler said Iran's oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen from two million barrels a day before the war to 0.4 million by mid-August under a US naval blockade.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the pivot to economic pressure did not mean military strikes were off the table, saying Washington was not ruling out “kinetic strikes” in or around the Strait of Hormuz or Iran.
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China said it would safeguard its own interests after the United States vowed Iran sanctions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 07:23:28 UTC.
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United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an oil tanker was struck by an unknown projectile off Oman, causing damage but no casualties.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the shift to economic pressure did not mean military strikes were off the table.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Iran had a two-year plan to manage the US measures.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir visited Iran and met senior Iranian officials after a recent call between Trump and Munir, according to the item.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 23:38:40 UTC.
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The US Treasury Department issued new sanctions against 60 individuals, companies and vessels it alleges aid Iranian oil revenue, weapons procurement and cyber operations.
The sanctions affect entities in several places, including the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Europe.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries not joining US sanctions would share in Iran's isolation and that President Donald Trump was calling world leaders about stopping interactions with Tehran.
The US announcement also suspended sanctions exemptions for payments to and from Iran related to the US educational system.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir visited Iran for meetings, and Oman's foreign minister was due in Iran on Tuesday for talks involving Hormuz passage.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:43:21 UTC.
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Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh predicted that the United States would suffer “another defeat” over the new sanctions.
Madanizadeh said Iran had been waiting for such plans and that the government was ready to manage them.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:27:55 UTC.
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Iran's economy minister said Iran has a two-year plan to counter US sanctions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:07:44 UTC.
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The US Treasury Department issued new sanctions against 60 individuals, companies and vessels it alleges aid Iran in oil revenue generation, weapons procurement and cyber operations.
The targets include entities in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Europe.
The US announcement suspended sanctions exemptions for payments to and from Iran related to the US educational system.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said entities that facilitate money laundering for Iran would be removed from the US dollar system.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 19:01:21 UTC.
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The announcement named no specific countries beyond Iran and gave no timelines.
Maritime tracker Kpler said Iran's oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz fell from two million barrels a day before the war to 0.4 million by mid-August.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir visited Iran and met Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Oman's foreign minister was due in Iran on Tuesday as Muscat and Tehran sought a deal on passage through Hormuz.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 18:17:54 UTC.
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The US Treasury Department said it had issued determinations against five sectors: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping.
Scott Bessent said countries that do not join US sanctions would share in Iran's isolation.
Bessent said US President Donald Trump was calling world leaders to ask them to stop interactions with Tehran.
Asked whether Chinese banks dealing with Iran could be targeted, Bessent said no one was above the reach of US sanctions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 17:36:05 UTC.
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Bessent said in a major address that the US objective is to sever every economic lifeline sustaining Iran's government.
The address came almost six months into a war that the item describes as having ground to a stalemate.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 17:10:46 UTC.
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries that do not join US sanctions would 'share in the isolation' of Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 17:09:02 UTC.
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Bessent said countries allowing Iran money laundering would be removed from the US dollar system.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 17:09:41 UTC.
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Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir visited Iran on Monday and met Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Ghalibaf said Iran was working to implement the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed with Washington in June.
Ghalibaf claimed the United States had prevented regional stability by failing to uphold commitments under that memorandum.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 17:05:05 UTC.
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US President Donald Trump said Iran was “completely collapsing” on Truth Social.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said last week that Tehran should bring the war to an end while in a position of power and dignity.
A Tehran pharmacist quoted by AFP said daily life was very difficult and that she wanted Iran to compromise.
The item says Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed hardliners to key security positions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 13:25:57 UTC.
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Maritime tracker Kpler put Iran's oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz at 0.4 million barrels a day by mid-August, down from two million barrels a day before the war.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran faced many social problems and was trying to overcome inflation, livelihood problems and unemployment.
Pakistan's army chief was expected in Iran on Monday, with Islamabad described as a mediator in talks that helped secure an April ceasefire.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi was due in Iran on Tuesday as Muscat and Tehran seek a deal on regulating passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
A Tehran pharmacist told AFP that economic conditions were very difficult and said she believed Iran should compromise.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 09:55:58 UTC.
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Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed Washington's campaign and said US claims about destroying Iran's military and nuclear capabilities did not match the need for a major financial offensive.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the campaign in the Financial Times as the "single greatest financial offensive marshalled against an adversary" and called it an "economic D-Day".
Bessent said on X that the measure followed what he described as the United States dismantling Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly all its military factories and burying its nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote that Iran's relations with China had become deeper and more comprehensive.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 08:21:48 UTC.
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Iran's foreign ministry warned on Monday that countries joining a US economic pressure campaign would face consequences.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran had given the necessary warnings.
Baqaei described cooperation with the United States in the campaign as complicity in aggressive actions against Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 August 2026 at 08:20:01 UTC.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said citizens face “many problems” and that the government is trying to limit them.
Pezeshkian said Iran is in a “full-scale economic, military and security war” because of US President Donald Trump.
Pezeshkian said the government is trying to overcome inflation, livelihood problems and unemployment.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 August 2026 at 08:52:02 UTC.
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Mohsen Rezai said countries that did not distance themselves from the United States would have their interests harmed by Iran.
Rezai said Iran had not yet attacked American economic interests and threatened to strike US oil and economic companies around Iran and elsewhere if sanctions were imposed.
The item notes that the United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that it was suspending all trade and financial transactions with Tehran until further notice.
Source note: AFP news report published on 22 August 2026 at 20:51:37 UTC.
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Mohsen Rezai, head of Iran's supreme national security council, delivered the warning on state television.
Source note: AFP news report published on 22 August 2026 at 20:03:52 UTC.
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Iran said any country that participates in US sanctions against Tehran would be considered an enemy.
Source note: AFP news report published on 22 August 2026 at 19:54:48 UTC.
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The United States also imposed new sanctions on Hezbollah on Thursday, saying the Lebanese movement operated in service to Iran under the command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Hezbollah said Friday that the sanctions and classifications would not deter it from what it called the path of resistance against Israel.
The US is facilitating direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon aimed at ending hostilities that began when Hezbollah entered the war by firing rockets at Israel in support of Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 August 2026 at 17:55:27 UTC.
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Pezeshkian defended a June memorandum of understanding with the United States aimed at ending the war, saying it did not show Iranian capitulation.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was reported to have approved the deal despite having “different views”.
Hardline Iranian lawmakers criticised the government over the deal, accusing it of concessions to the United States, mostly over reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
US media reports said the American navy has organised and protected secret tanker convoys through the southern Strait of Hormuz, enabling between five and 10 million barrels a day of oil to be exported.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 August 2026 at 12:08:41 UTC.
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Talks between Iran and the United States remain on hold, with both sides described as locked in a stalemate.
Tehran is keeping the Strait of Hormuz partially shut, while Washington is maintaining a naval counter-blockade of Iran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions plan made a return to heavy military operations less likely and said further details would be given on Monday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticised the planned “Economic D-Day” in a post on X.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit the White House on September 24, when Iran is expected to be discussed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 August 2026 at 11:39:17 UTC.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said it was better to end the war now because Tehran was in a position of power and dignity.
Iran's foreign ministry accused the United States of economic terrorism and crimes against humanity over planned sanctions pressure.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would seek to collapse the Iranian regime through its threatened campaign.
China criticised the US sanctions approach and called for political and diplomatic means to resolve the conflict.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 August 2026 at 11:24:44 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The China statement in the supplied item gives no named official or further detail on what measures Beijing may take.
The US announcement named no specific countries beyond Iran for wider penalties and gave no timelines.
Source
AFP news report published on .