China: Dialogue ‘effective way’ to unfreeze JCPOA
Signaling its support for “indirect talks” between Iran and the U.S. over the 2015 nuclear deal, China on Monday said the “effective way” to resolve the issue is to hold dialogue.
“It is an effective way to resolve the issue to resume the full and effective implementation of the [Joint] Comprehensive Plan [of Action] (JCPOA) through dialogue and negotiation,” said Mao Ning, spokeswoman of China’s Foreign Ministry, Anadolu Agency reported.
Mao said the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the JCPOA, was “a significant achievement of multilateral diplomacy”.
The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, after which Iran gradually ramped up its nuclear enrichment activities, higher than the limit stipulated in the deal.
Talks to revive the landmark deal have remained stalled since last year, but Tehran and Washington are said to have quietly resumed indirect talks.
The efforts to salvage the agreement got fresh impetus after the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said earlier this month that a deal on Iran’s nuclear program was possible if the country’s nuclear industry infrastructure remained untouched.
“China has maintained close contact with all relevant parties and urged them to step up diplomatic efforts to bring the comprehensive plan back on the right track soon, safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East,” Mao said in Beijing.