Moscow, Tehran and Beijing are convinced of the need for action to restore the agreement on the nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – JCPOA) by Western countries, according to a statement released as part of the agenda of the sixth meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.
“The People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation are convinced that it is time for the Western countries to show political will, refrain from the endless circle of escalation and take the necessary step to restore the JCPOA. There is still an opportunity to do so. The People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation are ready for it,” Tasnim news agency quoted the text of the countries’ joint statement as saying.
In 2015, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Iran struck a nuclear deal that involved lifting sanctions in exchange for curbing Iran’s nuclear programme. The US withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Tehran. In response, Iran gradually reduced the obligations under the agreement, abandoning restrictions in nuclear research, centrifuges and the level of uranium enrichment.
Earlier, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference on the sidelines of the 2nd session of the 14th National People’s Congress that Russia and China had created a new model of relations between major powers, which the United States could not understand.