China will continue to import Iranian oil: official

Vienna: China said Friday it would import Iranian oil in defiance of US sanctions on Tehran, a day before US and Chinese leaders are to meet to try to resolve thorny trade disputes.

“We reject the unilateral imposition of sanctions,” said Fu Cong, Director General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry´s Department of Arms Control. The United States, which is trying to force Iran to renegotiate an agreement limiting its nuclear programme, at the end of May tightened sanctions to include a full ban on Iran´s exports of oil and has threatened to punish nations which refuse to go along. “For us energy security is important and the importation of oil is important to Chinese energy security and also to the livelihood of the people,” said Cong.

US will sanction any countries that import Iranian oil: special envoy: The United States will sanction any country that imports Iranian oil and there are no exemptions in place, the U.S. special envoy for Iran said on Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials with sanctions on Monday, taking an unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone last week.

“We will sanction any imports of Iranian crude oil,” Brian Hook said when asked about the sale of Iranian crude to Asia, adding that the United States would take a look at reports of Iranian crude going to China. “There are right now no oil waivers in place,” Hook told reporters in London. “We will sanction any illicit purchases of Iranian crude oil.” “Iran does have a history of using front companies to evade sanctions and enrich the regime and fund its foreign adventurism,” Hook said, adding that Iran routinely violates maritime law to hide its oil exports.