China Defies U.S. Sanctions by Allowing Iranian Flights to Land

The U.S. Treasury, led by Secretary Scott Bessent, imposed sanctions effective September 23, warning airports against fueling or landing Iranian planes to avoid losing access to the dollar system.

While countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, and Turkey quickly restricted flights, China has allowed multiple Iranian services, including to Guangzhou and Shanghai, to continue uninterrupted.

Beijing's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated China firmly opposes these 'illegal unilateral sanctions' without UN backing, keeping routes open amid U.S.-Iran tensions. Iran has warned neighbors of reciprocal closures if they comply.