Fact Check: Did US treasury secretary Scott Bessent say China can no longer get Iranian oil?

WASHINGTON, DC: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently focused his remarks on escalating economic pressure and stricter sanctions enforcement in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Amid this backdrop, a viral post online claimed that Bessent said China will no longer be able to obtain oil from Iran. But is this statement accurate? Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim: Bessent says China will no longer be able to get oil from Iran

The rumor originated from an X account, @BRICSinfo, whose bio stated, “We are an independent media company bringing you unparalleled coverage of all-things geopolitics & BRICS News in real-time. Not an official government account."

 The post shared, “JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇨🇳 US Treasury Secretary Bessent says China will no longer be able to get oil from Iran.” It was accompanied by a collage image of Scott Bessent and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Notably, the claim emerged following reports of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Middle East conflict involving Iran. 

The post gained traction online, with users reacting in the comments. One user wrote, “As if you could do anything about especially when they don't even use dollar anymore. US officials should stop living in fairyland of power and start acting actually making their country powerful again.”

Another user speculated, “America wants to play with fire on their hands. They want to bring China inside this conflict.”

Fact Check: The alleged claim by Scott Bessent is misleading

The claim that Bessent said China will no longer be able to get oil from Iran is misleading. According to multiple reports, he actually said China can still import oil, but not Iranian oil, as the US tightens sanctions and enforcement measures.

He explained that US sanctions and the blockade aim to reduce Iranian oil exports, especially to major buyers like China. His remarks were made as part of broader “maximum pressure” policies on Iran, not as a final or permanent statement about China’s overall oil imports.

The viral claim exaggerates his words by turning them into an absolute statement that China will be completely cut off from Iranian oil.

In reality, Bessent described a policy goal and enforcement effort, not an outcome that has already been achieved. China’s oil imports depend on multiple trade routes, enforcement limits, and ongoing geopolitical factors.

The US has recently increased sanctions and maritime pressure in the Strait of Hormuz to restrict Iranian oil shipments. However, China continues to be a major buyer of Iranian oil despite these restrictions, making a total cutoff uncertain.

However, the claim is misleading. Bessent did not say China is fully banned from Iranian oil; he described US efforts to restrict those exports under stricter sanctions.