Beijing to Continue Oil Imports from Iran Despite West's Sanctions

China underlined its resolve to continue oil imports from Iran despite the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic by the US and the European Union.

Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Hung Li, said that China will continue to buy Iran's oil which is based on international law and does not violate any international law.

Hung made the comments in a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

Referring to the fact that China is not obliged to pursue the internal regulation of the US, the Chinese diplomat noted that Beijing needs importing oil from Iran for its economic development and this something quite rational and legitimate.

Asked whether China will reduce its oil import from Iran under US pressures, Hung pointed out that we have said several times before that China will not succumb to such pressures.

"Importing oil from Iran by China is neither against the interests of any third country not it contradicts the international regulations," he added.

China and India are the first two destinations of Iran's crude supplies, Iranian oil ministry officials had said earlier.

National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Director for International Affairs Mohsen Qamsari said in April that the bulk of NIOC's contracts had been concluded with these two countries.

He further rejected alleged decline in Iran's crude exports to China, and said, "Oil delivery to China has not declined, and rather increased compared to the last year."