Daily Times

BEIJING: China on Saturday called on all sides to cherish the hard-won Iran nuclear deal after the United States decided to extend sanctions relief on Tehran.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks when asked to comment on the US statement. The Chinese side has also noticed that the international community widely supports the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and fully acknowledges Iran’s implementation of the pact, Lu said.

In July 2015, after a decade of strenuous negotiations, Iran and six major countries, namely, China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a final agreement on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, in which the West promises to relieve sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran’s efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

China has always firmly supported the JCPOA, Lu said, adding that the deal is not only an important multilateral achievement, but also an example for resolving international hot issues through political and diplomatic means.

To ensure the implementation of the agreement is of practical significance to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and safeguard the international non-proliferation regime, which serve the fundamental interests of all parties, he said.

Under the current situation, China hopes all related parties can consolidate their political will, properly manage differences, and continue to comprehensively and effectively implement the agreement from an overall and long-term perspective, he said.

It is China’s consistent and clear position to oppose unilateral sanctions against other countries in accordance with a country’s domestic law, he stressed.

Meanwhile, China will continue playing a constructive role in maintaining and implementing the Iran nuclear deal, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday.

Wang, who was on an official visit in Rwanda, held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. The two sides exchanged opinions on a statement regarding to the Iran nuclear deal made by the United States.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he will extend sanctions relief on Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal for the last time, threatening a US withdrawal from the landmark pact unless US Congress and European allies can fix the alleged “disastrous flaws.”

Published in Daily Times, January 15^th 2018.