China, Russia and Iran have jointly called on the US and the West to lift sanctions on Tehran over its uranium enrichment programme. The trilateral meeting in Beijing took place after Donald Trump wrote a letter to Iran's supreme leader to resume negotiations on the nuclear issue.
Chinese deputy foreign minister at Friday's meeting in Beijing Ma Zhaoxu with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Alekseevich Ryabkov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazuo Gharibadi.
In a joint statement read out by Ma, the three called for an end to US sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. "The parties involved should seek to address the root causes of the current situation and reject the pressure of sanctions and the threat of force," Ma said at a press briefing after the meeting.
Mao said all three countries stressed the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
All three countries called on all relevant parties to refrain from actions that could escalate the situation and to work together to create a favourable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts.
They also reiterated the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and achieve the goal of disarmament.
China and Russia welcome Iran's reaffirmation of the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme and its guarantee not to pursue the development of nuclear weapons, as well as its commitment to abide by the terms and obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
In addition, both countries support Iran in its continued cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and underline Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy as a signatory to the NPT.
Ma also told reporters that China will maintain an objective and impartial stance, actively promote peace and dialogue, and continue to play a constructive role in pushing for a political solution to the Iran nuclear issue.
Iran and Russia expressed their appreciation and commended China's constructive role in hosting the trilateral meeting in Beijing.
Iran signed a nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with six world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Trump withdrew from the agreement during his first term, complaining that it was a "bad deal".
Today's meeting came after Trump wrote a letter to Iran's supreme leader in an effort to revive discussions on how to curb Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme. While Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he was not interested in talks with the "tyrannical government".
China and Russia have particularly close relations with Iran through various energy supply agreements, while Iran provided Russia with kamikaze drones in the war against Ukraine. All three countries are members of the BRICS alliance.
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