China urges JCPOA parties to fulfill commitments

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says all signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran must remain committed to their obligations.

The nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was signed by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries and formally approved by the United Nations Security Council is an “international” deal, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“Parties should continue to earnestly carry out their obligations and solve differences through consultations to ensure the continued implementation of the agreement,” she said.

Hua noted that Beijing has actively participated in, promoted and contributed to the settlement of differences over the Iranian nuclear issue, adding, “With an objective, just and responsible attitude, we have been committed to promoting the [nuclear] negotiations and implementation of the JCPOA.”

She expressed her country’s readiness to maintain close cooperation with all parties to ensure the “sustained, comprehensive and effective implementation” of the JCPOA.

Hua also described the nuclear deal as a successful example of settling international hotspot issues through political and diplomatic means.

The spokeswoman emphasized that the JCPOA had played a pivotal role in safeguarding the international nuclear non-proliferation system and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, saying the international community widely supported and recognized the deal.

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China plus Germany - signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the historic deal and its implementation belied claims about the country seeking weapons of mass destruction and demonstrated the honesty and sincerity of the Islamic Republic.

He added that the US, given its hostility toward the Islamic Republic, has been creating obstacles in the banking transactions between Tehran and the rest of the world.

Since the implementation of the JCPOA, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed Iran’s compliance with its obligations under the nuclear agreement in several reports.

In his visit to Tehran on December 18, 2016, the IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano expressed satisfaction with Iran’s compliance with its commitments.