China has strongly criticized the United States for triggering the current Iran nuclear crisis, accusing Washington of creating instability and undermining diplomatic efforts. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, said that the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and forced Iran to scale back its commitments.
According to China’s state news agency Xinhua, Fu Cong stated that the crisis didn’t start with Iran, but with America’s decision in 2018 to walk away from the deal during President Donald Trump’s first term. He added that after withdrawing, the U.S. re-imposed sanctions and adopted a “maximum pressure” policy, stripping Iran of the economic benefits promised under the agreement.
Fu condemned the actions of some Security Council members who, he claimed, accuse Iran of violating non-proliferation rules while justifying U.S. and Israeli military strikes. He emphasized that these strikes not only worsened regional tensions but also sabotaged ongoing negotiations that the U.S. itself had initiated.
He highlighted that Iran has repeatedly denied any intention of developing nuclear weapons and continues to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under its Non-Proliferation Treaty commitments. He said Iran has remained engaged in professional and constructive diplomacy and has never closed the door to talks.
The Chinese envoy also criticized the selective use of IAEA reports to pressure Iran and push resolutions without proper consultation. He called these tactics damaging to the diplomatic atmosphere. Fu firmly declared that the military use of force by the U.S. and Israel violates international law and Iran’s sovereignty, and he confirmed that China condemns these actions. He warned that such moves threaten the implementation of UN Resolution 2231, which endorses the nuclear agreement and outlines the framework for its enforcement.