Trump Urges Iran's Nuclear Negotiations, China-Russia Emphasizes 'Equality' Dialogue With Tehran

JAKARTA - China and Russia support Iran's position after the United States demanded nuclear negotiations with Tehran. Senior Chinese and Russian diplomats say dialogue may only proceed based on "a sense of mutual respect" and all sanctions must be lifted.

In a joint statement issued after negotiations with Iran in Beijing, China and Russia also said they welcomed Iran's statement that its nuclear program was solely for peaceful purposes.

The two countries affirm Tehran's right to use nuclear energy peacefully must be respected.

In 2015, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions in deals with US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.

But in 2018, Donald Trump, after a year serving as president of the US, withdrew from the pact.

"(Chip, Russia, and Iran) emphasize that the relevant parties must commit to addressing the root causes of the current situation and stopping sanctions, pressure, or threats of violence," Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told reporters after the meeting.

China, Russia, and Iran also stressed the need to end all unilateral sanctions that "violate the law", Ma said.

Ma's meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi came days after Tehran rejected the US "order" to continue dialogue over nuclear programs.

Trump previously sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing nuclear negotiations. Trump stressed "there are two ways to deal with Iran: militarily, or you make an agreement".

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stressed he would not negotiate with the US during a "cam", and Iran would not bow to the "order" of the US to negotiate.

Iran is getting even more angry after six of the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council - the US, France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, and the UK - held closed meetings this week to discuss its nuclear program.

Tehran said the meeting was a "benefit" of the UN Security Council.

The meeting was also criticized by China. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Council's "hurry" intervention did not help in building trust.

Although Tehran's challenging rhetoric, working with the US to finalize the nuclear deal may be a more pragmatic option, with crippling sanctions burdening Iran's economy and sparking public unrest, Iranian officials said.