Sanctions on Iran, dilemma for China
The United States has been forcing other countries to comply with the United Nations sanctions against Iran, and it has been blaming Chinese companies for breaking the embargoes on Iran.
China has been facing a dilemma over the sanctions imposed on Iran. On one hand, China has important business and strategic interests with Iran. On the other, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it has to act as a responsible power to maintain world peace and security.
It is clear that China's relations with Iran do not depend only on the two countries. They are determined by China-US and China-European Union (EU) relations as well. Thus Sino-Iranian relations pose a great challenge to China's diplomacy - a tricky diplomatic battle which, if not handled properly, could harm China's core interests.
