Massoud Daneshmand, member of the association of transportation companies told ILNA news agency that because of US sanctions against Iranian ports not even Chinese vessels do not use the facilities, unloading their cargo in Dubai from where the goods are transported by Iranian ships.

Hours after Daneshmand’s remarks, Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, spokesman of parliament’s national security committee told Entekhab website that this is “not a new issue”.

He added, “We have our own ways to circumvent the sanctions.”

Earlier in the week, Mohammad Reza Khiabani, the head of Iran’s commercial fleet had said that Iranian vessels have been banned from Chinese ports since last year.
Another official has said that China admits Iranian vessels only in its small ports and demands huge fees.

At the same time, parliament’s research center has demanded that before signing any agreement with China, to clarify Beijing’s position regarding Western sanctions.

Iran has been promoting close relations with China as a counterweight to the United States, amid sanctions imposed by Washington since 2018. Tehran has reached agreement over a 25-year strategic pact with Beijing, saying that China is ready to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in Iran.