Senior China diplomat says China opposes unilateral U.S. sanctions against Iran
BEIJING, May 17 (Reuters) - The Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, told Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Friday that China resolutely opposes unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States.
China supports Iran to safeguard its legitimate rights and understands Iran's situation, Wang Yi said in a meeting with Zarif in Beijing, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.
Tensions have escalated in recent days with increasing concerns about a potential U.S.-Iran conflict. Iran has said it is committed to its obligations under an international nuclear deal despite the U.S. withdrawal from the landmark agreement last year, and has called the reimposition of U.S sanctions unacceptable. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Catherine Evans)
