China’s position on Iran has become a concern to pro-Israel elements in the U.S. government, while Russia has recently made some concessions to those same elements, who, through government spokesmen, say they are “pressing for swift, bold sanctions.” Critics claim that an alliance of Zionists and neoconservatives actually want war with Iran, with sanctions merely being a first step.

China did agree to to negotiate with other U.N. member states on possible sanctions against the Islamic Republic, but its skepticism of the whole process underlies the Chinese call for “a diplomatic solution.” China also insisted that any sanctions that hurt trade or the Iranian people would be unacceptable.

“The Chinese are obviously concerned about what ramifications this might have on the economy generally,” President Barack Obama stated yesterday.

Although under pressure to produce proof of an Iranian “nuclear threat,” even the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies admit that Iran is currently incapable of producing a single nuclear weapon, whereas Israel and Pakistan — among other conflict-ridden and unstable states — possess many atomic warheads, with the capability of making thousands more. There is no push by the U.S. or its clients for sanctions against Pakistan or Israel — or any other nuclear state.

Although it has received little publicity in the U.S. corporate media (an omission which we at the American Mercury aim to correct), Washington is threatening unilateral sanctions not only on Iran, but on any supplier of fuel to Iran. This has had the effect of causing many countries and oil companies to severely cut back on shipments to Iran to pre-empt any hostile actions by Washington.

But state-run ChinaOil remains firm, and will be shipping 600,000 barrels of gasoline to Iran immediately, according to market observers.

Iran, one of the world’s largest producers of crude petroleum, has become a net importer of gasoline because U.S. sanctions have caused financial and other difficulties in constructing refineries.