China Increases Oil Imports from Iran by 17% in June

China's oil imports from Iran have increased by 17 percent to 2.6 million tons in June despite the Western sanctions on crude shipments from the Islamic Republic.

According to data from the Beijing-based General Administration of Customs, the world's second biggest economy imported about 635,000 barrels of Iranian oil per day in June.

China, Iran's number one oil importer, rejects the US-engineered oil embargo on Iran, calling its purchases of Iranian crude "completely justified and legitimate."

Last year, China imported about 557,000 barrels of oil per day from Iran.

In 2012, the United States and the European Union (EU) approved new sanctions against Iran's oil and financial sectors which aim to prevent other countries from purchasing Iranian oil or transacting with its central bank.

The US sanctions took effect on June 28, while the US-engineered EU oil bans against Iran were enforced on July 1.

Washington and the EU claim that the bans are meant to pressure the Islamic Republic to give up its nuclear energy program, which they claim includes a military aspect.

Iran rejects such allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.