China has spoken out against U.S. and EU sanctions against Iran, saying: “Beijing is doubtful about the effect of unilateral sanctions on resolving the atomic disputes with Iran.”
Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said China is opposed to any sanctions beyond the resolution approved by the United Nations’ Security Council.
China’s statement comes after the U.S. and the EU recently imposed sanctions on Iran’s Central Bank. Just this past Wednesday, EU diplomats announced that they have come to an agreement in principle to impose new sanctions targeting Iranian oil but they have yet to figure out the details.
The new wave of sanctions comes after the International Atomic Energy Association issued a report on Iran last November, indicating that the Islamic Republic may be pursuing atomic weapons.
China announced, however, that the “only way” to resolve the nuclear dispute with Iran is through diplomacy and negotiations.