China says US withdrawal from JCPOA triggered Iran nuclear crisis
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China’s Foreign Ministry says the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is the root cause of the current crisis, calling for diplomacy instead of sanctions and pressure.
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The Iranian flag waves outside of the UN building that hosts the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, office inside in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, July 10, 2019. (AP)
China has reiterated its call for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, warning that the United States’ policies and the activation of snapback sanctions have undermined diplomatic efforts.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks on Tuesday during a regular press conference in Beijing, emphasizing that extending dialogue is the only constructive way forward.
US withdrawal from JCPOA root cause
In response to a question about the failure of the UN Security Council to extend resolution 2231, Guo stressed that the draft proposal by China and Russia aimed to create “more time and space for diplomatic negotiation on the Iranian nuclear issue and create favorable conditions for eventually achieving a political settlement.”
He warned that pushing forward the “snapback” mechanism was “not constructive and has severely reversed the political and diplomatic process of resolving the Iranian nuclear issue.”
According to the Foreign Ministry’s website, Guo said, “The US’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the root cause of today’s crisis. China maintains that peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means is the only viable option and opposes the threat of force, slapping sanctions and pressuring.”
He added that China urges the United States and European countries to “show political sincerity, make more diplomatic effort, take the Iranian nuclear issue back to the right track of political and diplomatic settlement, and prevent the situation from further escalation.”
China's efforts to continue
China pledged to continue playing “a constructive role” in efforts to address the concerns of all parties while maintaining an “objective and just position.”
Guo’s remarks came as the European troika, consisting of Britain, France, and Germany, moved to reactivate sanctions against Tehran, arguing that Iran has failed to meet its obligations under the nuclear deal.
Araghchi says talks with US 'futile'
On the same day, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the renewed sanctions push, declaring that negotiations with Washington remain fruitless.
Speaking at the end of his trip to New York for the UN General Assembly, Araghchi said, “I met bilaterally with the foreign ministers of over 31 countries. Alongside discussions on the nuclear issue... Tehran exchanged messages with Washington both directly and indirectly; however, the process proved that talks with the US are futile, as the Leader said," referring to Sayyed Ali Khamenei.
He also said, "An attempt was made to reach a settlement between the proposals of the two sides, but due to the excessive demands of the Americans and the support of the European countries, we were unable to reach a settlement," Araghchi explained.
He stressed that Iran had introduced "completely reasonable" proposals, which European representatives themselves acknowledged as fair. However, despite these efforts, Western negotiators insisted on unachievable concessions, preventing any meaningful progress.
Read more: No reason for Iran to remain party to NPT: Security committee spox
