Beijing (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Chinese foreign ministry has announced that China will hold a meeting on Friday in Beijing with Russia and Iran on the Iranian “nuclear issue”, with both countries represented by their deputy foreign ministers.
Relations between Iran and Russia have improved since the beginning of the Ukraine war in 2022, with a strategic collaboration treaty marked in January. Both have good ties with China. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will preside over the meeting, Mao Ning, a spokesperson of its foreign ministry, revealed to reports on Wednesday.
The session will follow a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York the same day concerning Iran’s expansion of its stocks of uranium that are close to weapons-grade.
Why is China hosting talks with Russia and Iran?
Last week, Russia stated Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov talked about international efforts to tackle Iran’s nuclear program with its ambassador, Kazem Jalali after it was reported Russia offered to help U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in intercommunicating with Iran.
Iran has long refused to want to develop a nuclear weapon. However, the U.N. atomic watchdog IAEA has cautioned it is “dramatically” accelerating enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, which is close to the weapons-grade level of about 90%.
Tehran reached a deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the U.S. in 2015, that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for sanctions on its nuclear program. China has expressed it supports Iran in defending its legitimate rights and calling for an early resumption of the Iranian nuclear discussions.
How does China view Iran’s nuclear program?
Last year in December, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, discussing ways to promote the undertaking of the China-Iran comprehensive cooperation plan.
Wang stated that enhanced coordination and collaboration between China and Iran will not only be beneficial to the two peoples but also be beneficial to regional and world peace, tranquility, and development.
The two countries should continue to back each other on issues involving their core interests, steadily advance practical cooperation, and enhance collaboration in multilateral fields, Wang stated. In his speech, he called for closer coordination and partnership within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) framework and for the improvement and strengthening of BRICS cooperation, to better protect the common interests of the Global South.
