China announced on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, that it opposed US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines, after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the companies would cease operating under sanctions pressure from Wednesday. The new measures target services Iranian aircraft need to continue operating flights at international airports.
Beijing rejects unilateral US sanctions
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference on Tuesday: “China has consistently opposed unilateral, illegal sanctions that do not comply with international law and have not been approved by the UN Security Council.”
Jiakun was responding to a question about Bessent’s warning that Iranian airlines would face difficulties operating globally under US sanctions, and whether China would continue allowing Iranian flights to operate. Bessent outlined the expected pressure on the sector during an interview with US broadcaster CNBC on Monday.
Washington threatens Iranian aviation services
The US Treasury secretary said Iranian aircraft would not be allowed to obtain fuel or services at the airports where they landed. He warned companies providing those services that they would face exclusion from the dollar-based system, as part of the expansion of US economic pressure on Tehran and service providers dealing with it.
On 8 September, the US Treasury Department announced restrictions on 36 entities that it said supported Iran’s civil aviation sector, including 27 airlines. Bessent said the measure formed part of secondary sanctions targeting aviation service providers, and said Chinese officials were “deeply involved” in the campaign of economic pressure on Tehran.
Four vital services targeted by restrictions
According to a report by Iran’s Mehr News Agency, the sanctions prevent airports and companies supplying Iranian aviation worldwide from providing four vital services to Iranian aircraft. These include landing and ground-handling services at airports, selling and issuing tickets to passengers, as well as maintenance, technical inspections and the supply of spare parts.
The sanctions come amid close trade relations between China and Iran. Beijing is Tehran’s most important trading partner and buys around 90% of Iran’s oil exports. Iranian companies also rely on Chinese banks to purchase Chinese goods and products, while funds are transferred to Iran through a complex financial network. Iran’s aviation fleet had already sustained damage before the new restrictions were imposed.
Iranian Roads and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh said in an earlier statement that around 100 aircraft had been damaged, some completely, as a result of the US war during the period from 28 February to 8 April. Iranian airlines face undisclosed repair costs, as well as rising prices for spare parts, maintenance and insurance.
They are also facing losses resulting from aircraft remaining grounded and the reduction in flight numbers, while Iranian data do not provide a single figure for the cost of keeping the aircraft operational.
