McMaster says US could sanction Chinese banks over Iran support

Former Trump national security adviser H.R. McMaster said the United States could impose secondary sanctions on Chinese financial institutions if Beijing does not change its support for Iran, including alleged assistance involving satellite imagery and oil purchases. The comments followed a report that Iran obtained high-resolution imagery of a Jordanian air base before a missile attack that killed three U.S. service members, though the report did not identify the Chinese entities involved or establish that the Chinese government directed the assistance. McMaster said President Donald Trump was likely to raise the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping and could also cite China’s support for Russia and purchases of Iranian oil. Analysts caution that sanctions may impose significant costs but have limited leverage because Iran’s oil trade has adapted through intermediaries, non-dollar transactions and Chinese banks and renminbi-based networks. The effectiveness of further pressure would therefore depend heavily on whether major Chinese financial institutions cooperate with Washington, while critics argue sanctions alone may not persuade Tehran to change course.