Unexpectedly, the United States has once again resorted to sanctions! On May 20, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, on Tuesday (May 19), the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on its official website that Washington has imposed sanctions on over 50 entities located in Iran, mainland China, Hong Kong, and the UAE. In addition, the U.S. Treasury also sanctioned 19 vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil as part of the so-called "shadow fleet." The statement emphasized that the Treasury is prepared to take action against any foreign enterprises supporting Iran’s illegal trade, including airlines.
Moreover, Bessent urged the United States' allies to actively enforce sanctions targeting Iran and other "malicious actors," stating, "There is no excuse whatsoever." Why has the U.S. resorted to sanctions once again, even including Chinese companies? In short, the U.S. is now applying maximum pressure on Iran. The situation is clear: negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have hit an impasse, and military action is unfeasible—so naturally, the U.S. aims to force Iran to yield through economic stranglehold.
By progressively tightening blockades, the U.S. seeks to cut off Iran’s core source of revenue—oil exports—and undermine its economic sustainability and capacity for external confrontation. As for including Chinese-related entities and enterprises in the sanctions list, the U.S. certainly has its own strategic calculations. Leaving aside other factors, due to U.S. sanctions on Iran, Iran has become one of the most thoroughgoing countries in moving away from the U.S. dollar, with large-scale Sino-Iran trade increasingly conducted in renminbi—a development clearly undesirable to the United States.
We naturally oppose such sanctions by the United States. However, these sanctions will not significantly impact us. On one hand, our energy supply is diversified; on the other, coinciding with President Putin's recent visit to China to deepen comprehensive strategic coordination between China and Russia, the two nations can seize this opportunity to accelerate the construction of energy corridors and expand cooperation in trade. Of course, at present, Sino-U.S. relations are gradually stabilizing—the U.S. may adopt tough measures, but it does not seek to completely break the relationship.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865667277152330/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author