China rejected the newest United States sanctions on Iran as the dispute over Iran Oman Hormuz moved from Washington to the United Nations. Abbas Araghchi sent a formal letter to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday asking the global body to condemn and reject the U.S. actions in Iran.
The clash matters because China is Iran's largest trade partner, and China said it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf thanked China on X, writing, "We welcome China's principled statement rejecting illegal sanctions against Iran."
China and the sanctions dispute
Lin Jian said China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions. Lin Jian added that China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests. That response came after President Trump said last week that he expected all countries to get on board with the sanctions announced on Monday, and after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that China should "get with the program."
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also wrote on X, "The Iran-China comprehensive strategic partnership is rooted in mutual respect, win-win cooperation, and a shared vision for a multipolar world." He added, "This relationship needs no one's permission." China's reply made clear that the two governments are not aligned on the newest round of pressure, even as trade remains the lever that gives Beijing room to resist quickly.
Abbas Araghchi's U.N. appeal
Araghchi asked the United Nations to condemn and reject the U.S. actions in Iran, especially the new round of sanctions issued this week. He wrote that the Security Council and all members of the United Nations must defend the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference, and respect for the sovereign rights of states. He also asked all U.N. members to refrain from recognizing, approving, or implementing the sanctions.
Araghchi said Iran reserves its right to pursue all available avenues to achieve accountability, reparation and redress. He also said Iran reserves its right to hold the perpetrators accountable for the consequences of these inhumane and illegal actions. For countries that trade with Iran, that request is aimed less at rhetoric than at the rules that decide whether sanctions spread through banking, shipping, and other cross-border dealings.
Antonio Guterres and the Strait of Hormuz
Guterres said on Monday that Iran must end attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and restore respect for navigational rights and freedoms in the waterway. His statement sits alongside Araghchi's letter, creating a stark split between Iran's demand for U.N. condemnation of U.S. sanctions and the U.N. chief's warning over maritime attacks tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
China's rejection, Iran's appeal to the United Nations, and Guterres's warning now leave the sanctions fight in a procedural lane: the Security Council, the United Nations, and the countries that do business with Iran will decide whether the pressure stays bilateral or widens into a broader diplomatic test. The next move is whether any U.N. body takes up Araghchi's request or whether China follows its statement with practical steps to protect its trade interests.
