Lawmaker Asks State Dept. Whether China Is Violating US Sanctions Against Iran

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, is concerned that China is violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, and asked the State Department about potential actions it may take. McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said China is reportedly buying Iranian oil “in defiance of U.S. sanctions,” according to an April 12 letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He asked Blinken to confirm whether those reports are true, whether the administration plans to punish China for violating the sanctions, whether China is selling weapons to Iran and what kind of impact this is having on U.S. companies. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment.