China has announced it will convene talks with Russia and Iran this week as the United States increases pressure on Tehran to agree to a new deal regarding its nuclear program.
Beijing revealed on Wednesday that it would host officials from both Russia and Iran later this week to discuss the matter. The trilateral meeting will follow a closed-door session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called by Western nations.
The growing international focus on Iran's nuclear program comes as the US continues its efforts to press Tehran into agreeing to a deal aimed at preventing it from moving closer to acquiring nuclear weapons. The U.S. has voiced concerns over Iran's uranium enrichment activities, which have raised alarm among Western countries.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the trilateral talks on the "nuclear issue" would take place in Beijing on Friday, with deputy foreign ministers from Iran and Russia attending. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the discussions would focus on "developments related to the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions."
Ties between Iran and Russia have strengthened since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, with the two nations signing a strategic cooperation treaty in January. Both countries also maintain strong relations with China, which is positioning itself as a key player in the negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.
Last week, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov met with Iran's Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, to discuss international efforts to address Iran's nuclear activities. Reports also indicated that Russia had agreed to help the Trump administration in communicating with Iran about the nuclear issue.
Despite ongoing concerns from Western nations, Iran has consistently denied any intention of developing nuclear weapons. However, tensions remain high, particularly after the U.S. withdrew from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal during President Donald Trump's first term. The deal, negotiated between Iran and six world powers, had placed strict limitations on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. After the U.S. exit, Iran began moving away from its commitments under the deal.
President Trump, during his second term, expressed openness to negotiating a new deal with Tehran, which would require the support of China and Russia. However, he has simultaneously reinstated an aggressive sanctions campaign and publicly threatened military action as an alternative, provoking anger in Iran.
Iran has firmly ruled out direct talks with the U.S. as long as sanctions remain in place. President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Tuesday that Iran "will not bow in humiliation to anyone." Last Friday, President Trump sent a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging negotiations and warning of possible military action if talks fail.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran was expecting a representative from an Arab country to deliver the letter to Iran's leadership. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson later confirmed that Anwar Mohammed Gargash, a diplomatic advisor to the United Arab Emirates, was set to hand over the letter to Araghchi in a meeting later that day.
The upcoming meeting in China follows a UNSC session in New York on Wednesday regarding Iran's expanding stockpiles of uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concerns over Iran's rapid enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent purity, approaching the weapons-grade threshold of 90 percent.
The UNSC meeting, requested by France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, the UK, and the U.S., is urging Iran to comply with its obligations to provide more information about its nuclear program. Iran and six world powers reached a comprehensive nuclear deal in 2015, which lifted sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities. However, after the U.S. withdrew in 2018, Iran moved away from its commitments, and attempts by the Biden administration and European nations to restore the deal have failed to succeed.
