China has pushed back hard against US pressure, moving to block sanctions on its refiners accused of buying Iranian oil. Calling the measures “illegal” and against international norms, Beijing’s Commerce Ministry issued an injunction to shield key companies from Washington’s crackdown. The move signals a growing rift between the world’s two biggest economies, as the battle over Iran’s oil trade intensifies. With Chinese “teapot” refineries under strain and US sanctions tightening, the standoff raises bigger questions about who controls global energy flows—and whether America’s pressure tactics are losing impact.