Will China help Iran overcome the new wave of US pressures?

Tabnak – As the United States shows no sign of softening its stance regarding the new wave of sanctions against Iran, the remaining parties of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran are trying to find ways out of Washington’s pressures. While introducing a proposal for saving the deal, China reiterates its commitment not to follow American unilateralism on Iran.

In this vein, China vows to continue efforts to safeguard the achievements of the nuclear agreement Iran signed with the P5+1 group of countries after the United States' withdrawal from the historic deal, saying it has put forward a five-point proposal in this regard.

Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday, a spokeswoman for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hua Chunying, made the comments in response to a question about a meeting of the foreign ministers of the remaining signatories to the nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in the Austrian capital Vienna on Friday.

At the same time, Hua reiterates that her country would “by no means” accept the US’s unilateral sanctions against Iran. “China will by no means accept the unilateral sanctions which are groundless under the international law and we will resolutely safeguard our own legitimate rights and interests,” she told reporters on Monday, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry’s news portal.

She added, “Upholding and implementing the JCPOA remains an arduous task. The Chinese side will continue with its efforts to uphold the outcome of multilateralism.”

The Chinese spokesperson further pointed to the current "critical conjuncture" of the JCPOA and said, "The convening of this foreign ministers' meeting in itself embodies all parties' support for the deal."

Hua also noted that participants at the Vienna meeting confirmed that Britain together with China would take over the work to modernize Iran's Arak heavy water reactor after the US withdrawal from the JCPOA.

In another related development, Germany and China on Monday reiterated that they are committed to the 2015 nuclear deal. Speaking alongside visiting China's Premier Li Keqiang on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said JCPOA was well-negotiated. The Chinese premier also warned against the unforeseeable consequences if the deal falls apart.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached in 2015 between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose “the highest level” of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.