China rejects US sanctions on Iranian airlines as Tehran threatens neighbours who comply

Iran has threatened to “paralyse” the airports of neighbouring countries should they reject Iranian flights due to the latest US sanctions. The threat on Wednesday came as China opposed the latest US sanction and said it would not comply with it.

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, on Wednesday, said it will ensure that no airport in the Gulf region can function if its flights are forced to stop operating.

“If you ban our flights and enter into cooperation with America, your airports will have no flights. If you stand with America, we will not stand by and watch,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the US threatened the world with sanctions if countries allow Iranian commercial flights to land and operate in their territory.

It is the latest Washington sanction aimed at further weakening Iran as the war reaches a stalemate and negotiations fail to produce desirable results.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had disclosed earlier in the week that the sanction would take effect on Wednesday.

Washington will sanction international airports, ground-handling companies and ticketing agents if they continue to service Iranian airlines, according to Mr Scott.

They will be “knocked out of the dollar system,” he said.

“If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” he also noted.

Meanwhile, Iran has said it would do whatever was necessary to protect its airlines.

But some countries have begun enforcing the sanctions.

Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and Turkey have all barred Iranian airlines from using their airports as the US sanctions take effect.

But China has kicked against the policy. The country has repeatedly opposed US sanctions on Iran and what it calls Washington’s “long-arm jurisdiction.”

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Guo Jiakun, said on Tuesday that the country opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis under International law.

He said, “China consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorised by the UN Security Council.”

Mr Jiakun also said the country will continue allowing Iranian carriers to operate in its territory, in defiance of Washington.

On Wednesday, a Mahan Air flight from Tehran landed in Guangzhou despite the measures taking effect, per FlightRadar24.

The new US policy is likely to weaken Iran’s aviation sector further.

President Donald Trump earlier demanded that Tehran “put up the white flag of surrender.” He also threatened to make the Strait of Hormuz US territory.

The US President had also previously threatened that “a whole civilisation will die… never to be brought back again.”

At the UN General Assembly, he threatened to “annihilate” the country.

Iran denounced the threats and said at the UN that it would continue to defend its territory and citizens from US attacks.