China Stands Firm as US Targets Iran's Financial Lifelines

The Trump administration's new economic campaign against Iran has one major obstacle: China. Beijing is Tehran's largest trading partner and oil buyer, making it a crucial player in the US efforts to isolate Iran financially.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared an 'economic onslaught' on Iran's financial connections around the world, but did not provide specifics about how the US would target China. This has raised doubts about the campaign's effectiveness, given the need to balance pressure on Iran with avoiding higher tensions with China that could harm the American economy.

Experts say the US and China will have to navigate a delicate dance to avoid disrupting a planned summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month. The US aims to reduce China's cooperation with Iran, but Beijing has said its relations with Tehran are 'within the framework of international law.'