China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday defended the nation's crude oil purchases and said it opposes unilateral sanctions, one day after the U.S. lifted its threat of sanctions on other nations that curbed use of Iranian oil.

At a daily press briefing, spokesman Hong Lei said China buys its crude oil 'through normal channels, which is understandable, reasonable and justified. It isn't in violation of any Security Council resolutions or impaired interests of any third party or international community.'

He added, 'China always opposes the practice of one country imposing unilateral sanctions against another based on its domestic laws and will not accept such unilateral sanctions to be imposed onto a third country.'

China on Wednesday said its imports from Iran fell by more than 40% to 1.15 million tons due to a business dispute between Iran's state oil company and one of the two Chinese companies that imports Iranian oil. The two sides have since reached a new agreement. Last year, Iran was China's No. 3 source of exported crude, after Saudi Arabia and Angola.

The Obama administration on Tuesday said it won't impose sanctions against Japan or 10 European Union nations that have moved to pare Iranian oil purchases, a move that reflects U.S. efforts to squeeze Tehran's finances without upsetting global energy markets.

译文：中国外交部周三为中国的原油采购辩护，并表示反对单方面制裁。此前一天，美国解除了对削减伊朗原油进口量的国家的制裁威胁。

在周三举行的例行记者会上，外交部发言人洪磊说，中国通过正常渠道从伊朗进口原油，合情合理合法，不违反联合国安理会有关决议，也不损害第三方和国际社会的利益。

洪磊还说，中方一贯反对一国根据其国内法对另一国实施单边制裁，更不会接受将单边制裁强加于第三国的做法。

中国政府周三公布，中国2月份进口伊朗原油115万吨，同比下滑逾40%，原因是伊朗国家石油公司和进口伊朗原油的两家中资企业中的一家发生商业纠纷。双方随后达成了新的协议。去年，伊朗是中国第三大原油供应国，排在沙特阿拉伯和安哥拉之后。

奥巴马政府周二表示，不会对日本或欧盟10个成员国实施制裁，因为这些国家已经同意削减伊朗原油的采购量。此举反映出美国力图在不影响全球能源市场的前提下挤压伊朗政府的财政空间。