On May 1, the United States intensified its unilateral sanctions by citing Iran’s oil transactions: it blacklisted three Iranian currency exchange platforms and imposed sanctions on China's Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., Ltd., accusing it of importing tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil. The U.S. claims it aims to cut off Iran’s oil-related funding channels and warns that any activities related to Iran’s oil trade or payment for passage fees through strategic straits may cross the sanctions red line. Recently, the U.S. has repeatedly targeted Chinese entities such as Hengli Petrochemical, expanding pressure beyond Iran to include parties involved in oil trade. Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and blocked navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, global energy and economic order are once again being disrupted.
[Witty] Comment briefly: This time, the U.S. didn’t just target Iran’s oil—it went all out with unilateral hegemony and extraterritorial jurisdiction by sanctioning even Chinese oil terminals. Looking back at history, the U.S. has precedent: after withdrawing from the JCPOA in 2018, it launched “maximum pressure” tactics, aiming to reduce Iran’s oil exports nearly to zero, while also pressuring multiple international buyers. Now, amid regional chaos and blocked strait passages, the U.S. is using sanctions on two fronts—choking Iran’s revenue to force concessions, while sending a warning shot at Chinese entities to enforce its own rules. This not only undermines global energy trade freedom but also disrupts international finance and shipping systems.
Normal energy cooperation among countries like China is legitimate and lawful. Excessive U.S. sanctions will only exacerbate market volatility and intensify geopolitical tensions. Unilateral bullying ultimately fails to win global support and cannot solve fundamental regional issues!
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864059164580864/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.