Beijing, Mar 14 (EFE).- China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, his Iranian counterpart Kazem Gharibadi, and Russian Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Friday called for “an end to all illegal unilateral sanctions” and the creation of “a favorable atmosphere” for diplomacy.
At the trilateral meeting, marked by escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, the three ministers described dialogue based on mutual respect as the only viable solution and said that sanctions, pressure and threats of force must be eliminated, in a veiled reference to the United States, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
The three countries emphasized that all concerned parties must work to eliminate the root causes of the current situation.
On Friday, Iran condemned the latest US round of sanctions targeting its oil industry, saying that they were “another undeniable proof” of Washington’s “dishonesty,” which insists on negotiating but continues its policy of “maximum pressure” against Tehran.
On Thursday, the US imposed new sanctions against Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and entities and vessels that have distributed Iranian crude to China.
At Friday’s trilateral meeting, the vice ministers also stressed the importance of respecting UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, as well as its timeframe.
They urged all relevant parties to refrain from actions that escalate the situation and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a cornerstone of the international system.
At the meeting, China and Russia welcomed Iran’s reaffirmation of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and its decision not to develop nuclear weapons, Xinhua reported.
They also praised “Iran’s commitment to fully implement the obligations of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement” and ed its “policy of continued cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
They also stressed the need to “fully respect Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy as a State Party to the Treaty.”
“All countries must avoid taking actions that hinder the International Atomic Energy Agency from performing its duties in a professional, objective and impartial manner,” they added.
The trilateral talks takes place amid heightened tensions with Washington, which has reactivated its “maximum pressure” policy on Iran with new sanctions aimed at curbing its oil sales.
US President Donald Trump said last week that he sent a letter to Tehran urging the resumption of negotiations, although Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected any dialogue with “arrogant” countries.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reaffirmed that Tehran “will not negotiate under pressure or intimidation” and only consider an agreement based on mutual respect.
In parallel, Iran has held talks in Geneva with , , and the United Kingdom, although without significant progress.
For its part, the Kremlin has reiterated its commitment to facilitating a negotiated solution and warned that US sanctions and threats could thwart the possibility of an agreement.
China and Russia are seeking to establish themselves as mediators in a process where the West has tightened its pressure.
In this context, Beijing is committed to de-escalation but has also strengthened its cooperation with Tehran in trade and energy matters, while Moscow is a key Iranian ally on the international stage.
Meanwhile, the IAEA has confirmed that Tehran has already accumulated 274 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium, approaching the threshold for military use.
Furthermore, it has reportedly significantly accelerated its nuclear program in recent months, quadrupling its rate of uranium enrichment to 60 percent and reducing cooperation with IAEA inspectors. EFE
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