China issues injunction to block US sanctions on companies buying Iranian oil

China’s Ministry of Commerce has issued an injunction to block US sanctions imposed on five Chinese oil refineries accused of purchasing Iranian oil.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the ministry named the companies as Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group, Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group, Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical and Shandong Shengxing Chemical.

After the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions last week on a unit of Hengli Petrochemical, which it said had purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum, China’s foreign ministry said unilateral US sanctions “have no basis in international law” and that it would seek to defend the targeted companies.