IRNA � As the biggest trade partner of Iran, China has long been importing Iranian oil, and will keep doing so despite US unilateral sanctions on Iran, the head of the international office of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF) told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Monday.

'Chinese companies need the Iranian oil in any circumstances and will continue to buy it,' said Andrey Yu.

'China doesn�t pay attention to the US sanctions on Iran; it is a routine between Iran and China and has nothing to do with the US. Oil, gas and trade shouldn't be influenced by the US anymore.'

He said that Chinese and Russian companies can fill up the vacuum of Total and other European companies, so it is highly improbable that Iran has a problem in excavating and investing in oil, and added, 'Iran has been able to keep progressing in the past decades despite the sanctions.'

Saying that Iran and China can have closer ties, Yu said, 'Whatever the US does cannot impede the cooperation between Iran and China.'