China blasts US sanctions on Iran's airlines

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reiterated China's opposition to illegal unilateral sanctions after the United States threatened to punish countries that allow Iranian flights to land in their territory starting on Wednesday.

The US threatened secondary sanctions on global aviation service providers that continue to deal with Iranian airlines, effective on Wednesday, US media reported.

"China's position has always been consistent," Guo said at a daily press briefing in Beijing.

"We firmly oppose illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and have not been authorized by the United Nations Security Council," he said.