Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called on Tuesday for the lifting of US sanctions on Iran imposed over its rapidly expanding nuclear program and for the resumption of multilateral talks on the issue, the Associated Press reported.
The talks are the latest attempt to raise the issue and come after US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attempt to kick-start negotiations.
The letter, the contents of which were not made public, was sent after Trump imposed new sanctions on Iran as part of a "maximum pressure" campaign that has kept the option of military action open while stressing that he still believes a new deal can be struck.
The three sides, who met this morning "stressed the need to end all illegal unilateral sanctions," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, joined by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi. "The three sides reaffirmed that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remain the only viable and practical option in this regard," added Ma, reading from a joint statement by the meeting participants. "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also expected to meet with the representatives of the countries later today." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mocked Trump and said he had no interest in holding talks with a "government that relies on bullying," despite Iranian officials giving conflicting signals about the the possibility of negotiations, the AP commented. In 2019, Trump sent a letter to Khamenei, which had no visible effect on the growing tensions.
China and Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with France and Britain, which participated in negotiating the initial preliminary framework agreement for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal along with Germany and the EU. Trump withdrew America from the agreement in 2018.
China and Russia have particularly close relations with Iran, the AP noted.