China, Russia, and Iran, following trilateral talks in Beijing on Friday, called for an end to “illegal and unilateral sanctions” against Tehran, as well as “threats of force.”
In a joint statement released by Chinese state television CCTV, the three countries said that diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on “mutual respect” were the “only effective and viable option” to address the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.
“The three countries emphasized that relevant parties should be determined to eliminate the root causes of the current situation and abandon sanctions and pressure, as well as military threats,” the statement continued.
The statement did not explicitly mention the US, but the meeting followed Iran’s rejection of Donald Trump’s proposal to restart nuclear negotiations. Tehran said it was not fair to negotiate under conditions where Washington was implementing a policy of maximum pressure.
The meeting, chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, was attended by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.
During his first term as president, Trump withdrew the US from the international agreement under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Last week, Trump proposed restarting negotiations in a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which was delivered by the United Arab Emirates. In an interview a day after the letter was delivered, he said that if Tehran did not want to negotiate, the US would have to “intervene militarily.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that he would not negotiate under “threat” and would not submit to the “orders” of the US.
Friday’s meeting took place before a conference at the United Nations Security Council on the same day to discuss Iran’s growing uranium stockpile. Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency expressed new concerns about Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, stating that these activities were approaching weapons-grade levels.
In a joint press conference with his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Sergei Ryabkov and Kazem Gharibabadi, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said: “We emphasized the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and its timeframe, and called on relevant parties to avoid actions that would escalate the situation and to jointly create a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts.”
The resolution Ma referred to endorsed the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was also signed by China, Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union.
On Friday, both China and Russia welcomed Iran’s commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and Tehran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons. “They emphasized that Iran’s right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as a party to the treaty should be fully respected,” the statement said.
The trio also held joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman last week to deepen military cooperation.
It was also noteworthy that the meeting was not held in Beijing. China, which aims to mediate in disputes in the Middle East, has previously mediated between Iran and Saudi Arabia, long-time adversaries, and brought together Palestinian organizations in Beijing at the beginning of the Gaza War.
Analysts say that China’s growing interest in the Middle East also reflects Beijing’s desire to diversify relations beyond economic partnerships. According to Jonathan Fulton of the Atlantic Council, some Middle Eastern countries see relations with China as a tool and even leverage to attract the attention of the US.
“Iran, of course, sees the West as an enemy and China’s support as crucial to navigating a challenging regional and international environment,” Fulton said in his recent report for the Washington-based think tank.