Deputy ministers of Russia, China and Iran are calling for multilateral talks to end “illegal” US sanctions.
Representatives from Iran, Russia and China are calling on President Donald Trump’s administration to end the sanctions imposed on Tehran on the rapidly moving forward nuclear program, calling for a resumption of multilateral talks on the issue.
The three countries “emphasized the need to end all illegal, unilateral sanctions,” Chinese vice minister Ma Zhaoxu read from a joint statement issued Friday. He was adjacent to his Russian counterparts, Liabkov Sergei Aleksevich, Iranian and Kazem Galibabadi.
“The parties involved should work to eliminate the root cause of the current situation and to abandon the threat of sanctions, pressure and use of force,” the MA said.
Iranian Galibabadi praised the conference as “very constructive and positive”, even when he accused “several countries” of creating “unnecessary crisis” to block Tehran.
Later on Friday, Wang Yi was scheduled to meet three senior diplomats.
The talks are the latest attempt to resolve Iran’s impasse as Trump tries to reach Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to begin his speech.
Progress in Iran’s talks with the Trump administration requires support from Russia and China. Russia and China are both permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with the US, France and the UK.
Security Council approval paved the way for the implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. This set several years of attacks and tensions in the wider Middle East that Trump abandoned during his first term as president in 2018.
Under the original 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium by up to 3.67% purity and maintain a 300 kilogram (661 pounds) of uranium stockpile. The final report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s programmes shows that its stockpile is 8,294.4kg (18,286 pounds), with a portion of which concentrated to 60% purity.
Iran claims that its nuclear program is peace.
Iran has maintained that it will not negotiate under threat, but its economy has been saved by US sanctions. Recent protests against women’s rights, the economy and Iran’s theocracy have shaken the government.
Last Friday, Trump wrote to Khamenei, saying that he not only encouraged negotiations, but also warned of possible military action.
In response, Khamenei laughed at the US president and said he was not interested in discussing with the “bullying government.” He complained that Tehran “negotiated for years and reached a fully signed agreement,” and Trump “teared it.”
Iranian President Masuud Pezeshkian also said he would not negotiate with the United States while he was “threatened” and that Iran would not tell us “orders.” However, he previously said in a speech to the United Nations that Tehran is “ready to engage.”
Other Iranian officials have provided several signals about possible negotiations, and the latest meeting in Beijing could indicate the openness of new consultations.