China hits back at US threat of sanctions on Iranian airlines

China has condemned the “illegal” US sanctions against Iranian airlines, a day after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Washington could impose measures aimed at shutting down Iran’s airlines worldwide. Under the weight of US sanctions, “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world” within days, Bessent told CNBC on Monday, as the Trump administration seeks to increase economic pressure on Tehran. “China consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorisation from the UN Security Council,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a news conference.