China, Russia Back Iran as US Urges Nuclear Talks

Beijing and Moscow Call for Lifting of All 'Unlawful' Sanctions on Tehran

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BEIJING - China and Russia stood by Iran on March 14 after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on "mutual respect" and all sanctions ought to be lifted.

In a joint statement issued after talks with Iran in Beijing, Beijing and Moscow also said they welcomed Iran's reiteration that its nuclear programme was exclusively for peaceful purposes, and that Iran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be "fully" respected.

In 2015, Iran reached a deal with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, and agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

But in 2018, Mr Donald Trump, a year into his first term as US president, pulled out of the pact.

"(China, Russia and Iran) emphasised that the relevant parties should be committed to addressing the root cause of the current situation and abandoning sanction, pressure or threat of force," China's Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told reporters after the meeting.

China, Russia and Iran also emphasised the necessity of terminating all "unlawful" unilateral sanctions, Mr Ma said.