High-ranking diplomats from Iran, Russia and China met in Beijing on Friday to discuss Tehran’s nuclear issues, following Iran’s rejection of US demands to resume dialogue on the Iranian nuclear program, according to China’s state-run CCTV.
In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. However, in 2018, a year after his first term in the White House, Donald Trump withdrew from the deal.
The meeting, attended by the deputy foreign ministers of the three countries, took place at a time when Beijing is trying to position itself as a mediator in this urgent international security issue, just days after US President Donald Trump stated that there are two options for dealing with Iran: a deal or “militarily.”
After the meeting between Ma, the Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov and the Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi in Beijing on Friday, the three US rivals issued a joint statement, calling on the relevant parties to “avoid actions that escalate the situation and create a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts.”
“The relevant parties should commit to eliminating the root causes of the current situation and giving up sanctions and the threat of violence” said China’s deputy foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu, according to Chinese state media.
Last week, Trump said he had sent a letter to the Iranian leadership, proposing talks with the Islamic Republic, which the West fears is rapidly approaching the ability to produce nuclear weapons. However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he would not negotiate with the US as long as he is “threatened” and Iran will not bow to the “orders” of the US to hold talks.
Observers see the diplomatic overture by Beijing as part of a broader goal to position China as an alternative global leader to the US – a goal that the Chinese leadership sees as having more opportunities, given Trump’s America First agenda shaking up US foreign policy.
“China is increasingly motivated to deepen its engagement in the Iranian nuclear issue to protect its interests, expand its regional influence and strengthen its image as a responsible global power” said Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.
“With the invitation of Russia and Iran, China could also underscore the significance of non-Western approaches to solving global challenges” he added.
A demonstration of the rapprochement between the three states could also be beneficial for Beijing, as the Trump administration is trying to undermine the close ties between Beijing and Moscow and position itself against the so-called “axis” between China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.