China vows to protect its rights as US readies Iran sanction

China's ​foreign ministry ​said on Monday ‌Beijing will ​closely watch developments and do what ‌is necessary to protect its rights as the U.S. prepares to unveil new Iran sanctions ‌that are expected to target ‌Tehran's trading partners.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is set to hold a press conference ⁠at ​2 p.m. ⁠EDT (1800 GMT) on Monday, has threatened to impose "the ⁠toughest sanctions in history" on Iran and ​urged China to cooperate with Washington.

Speaking ⁠at a daily press conference on ⁠Monday, ​foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also urged parties to act rationally with ⁠restraint, warning that sanctions and pressure tactics do ⁠not ⁠help to resolve issues.