Officials from Iran, Russia, and China have urged the Trump administration to lift sanctions imposed on Tehran due to its advancing nuclear program. They also called for the resumption of multilateral talks on the issue.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the three nations stressed the importance of ending all unilateral sanctions against Iran. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, along with his Russian and Iranian counterparts Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Kazem Gharibabadi, emphasized the need to address the root causes of the current situation and to avoid sanctions, pressure, and threats of force.
Gharibabadi described the meeting as “very constructive and positive,” while also accusing certain countries of creating unnecessary crises to hinder Iran’s progress.
Later on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was set to meet with the three diplomats.
These discussions represent the latest effort to resolve the Iran situation as Trump seeks to engage with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in hopes of restarting negotiations.
Progress in talks with the Trump administration regarding Iran requires the support of Russia and China, both of which are permanent members of the UN Security Council, alongside the US, France, and Britain.
The Security Council’s approval paved the way for the implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018, leading to years of tensions in the Middle East.
Under the original 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium up to 3.67% purity and maintain a uranium stockpile of 300 kilograms. The IAEA’s latest report on Iran’s program indicated a stockpile of 8,294.4kg as Iran enriches a portion to 60% purity.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful.
While Iran has stated it will not negotiate under threat, its economy has suffered from US sanctions. Recent protests over women’s rights, the economy, and Iran’s government have impacted stability.
Last week, Trump revealed that he had written to Khamenei, urging talks while also suggesting potential military action.
In response, Khamenei criticized the US president, stating he has no interest in negotiating with a “bullying government.” He lamented that Iran had negotiated and reached an agreement, only for Trump to discard it.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also rejected talks under threat, asserting that Iran will not comply with US demands. However, he previously expressed readiness to engage in dialogue at the UN.
Despite mixed signals from Iranian officials, the recent meeting in Beijing may indicate a willingness to pursue new negotiations.
