Xi and Raisi call for full implementation of JCPOA

IRAN – In a joint statement on Thursday, President Xi Jinping of China and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi called for a full and effective implementation of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal – JCPOA – by all sides and lifting of all U.S. sanctions on Iran in a verifiable manner.

Raisi and Xi insisted that Washington’s unilateral pullout from the JCPOA is the root cause of the current stalemate in the negotiations to revive the landmark agreement.

In their joint statement which was issued at the end of Raisi’s three-day state visit to Beijing, the two presidents stressed the importance of lifting sanctions and ensuring Iran’s economic benefits as important components of the JCPOA.

“All relevant sanctions must be lifted in a verifiable manner to facilitate the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA,” the two presidents insisted.

The two presidents also voiced their strong objection to efforts by some countries to politicize the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the implementation of the nuclear Safeguard Agreement.

The negotiations to resurrect the JCPOA have been stalemated since August 2022 as Washington refuses to lift all the sanctions that were imposed on Iran by the Donald Trump administration.

Also, the Iranian and Chinese presidents fully discussed cooperation in all areas as well as regional and international developments and reached broad agreements, including accelerating the implementation of a strategic 25-year partnership agreement between the two countries.

Iran and China signed the landmark comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in March 2021 in defiance of unilateral sanctions against the two countries by Washington.

The deal officially documents the Sino-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that had been announced during a visit by President Xi to Tehran in 2016.

Elsewhere in their statement, Raisi and Xi reiterated their firm support for the establishment of a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

They highlighted the role of the NPT Review Conference in forcing Israel to join the treaty and placing all its nuclear facilities under the IAEA supervision.

The two sides emphasized the importance of disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons for improving international peace and reiterated their respect for the inalienable rights of all NPT signatories to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Iranian and Chinese presidents strongly back two countries’ territorial integrity

The Iranian and Chinese presidents also expressed their strong support for issues related to the two countries’ basic interests, protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to the statement, the Chinese side strongly opposes interference of foreigners in Iran’s internal affairs and efforts to undermine the country’s stability and security and supports Iran’s increasing role in regional and international issues.

The Iranian side also continues its commitment to the One China policy, it added.

They also agreed to accelerate the implementation of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan and further development of cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, industry, renewable energy and infrastructure.

According to the statement, the Chinese president also accepted an invitation from his Iranian counterpart to pay a visit to Tehran.(TEHRAN TIMES)