China Urges US-Iran Negotiations Amid 'Toughest Sanctions' Warning

China has urged the United States to negotiate with Iran over what US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called 'the toughest sanctions in history' against Tehran. The US measures, announced on Thursday, aim to isolate Iran economically and restrict its ability to transfer money, buy oil, or engage in seaborne shipping.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated the country's long-held stance that military actions and unilateral sanctions are not an effective way to resolve conflicts. 'Military actions, sanctioning, pressuring do not help solve the problem, it only builds up the tensions in the current situation,' he said.

The US Treasury Secretary stated that Washington will impose its full might on countries found transferring money or buying oil from Iran, effectively forcing them to choose between cooperation with the US and isolation. However, China opposes 'illegal, unilateral sanctions without authorization of the UN' and calls for a political settlement to resolve the current issues.