China: JCPOA revival talks in final phase, agreement still possible despite challenges

China says the talks to resume compliance as per the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are in the "final phase," emphasizing that there is still an opportunity to reach a final agreement on the revival of the US-abandoned accord.

"Despite the complex and challenging prospects facing the talks, there is still hope for reaching an agreement" to revive the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, said at a regular press conference on Monday.

She urged all parties to the agreement to stay committed to dialogue and step up diplomatic efforts to "bring the JCPOA back on track as soon as possible." 

Pointing to Iran's sincerity in seeking an agreement on the JCPOA resumption, she urged all concerned parties to "work in the same direction, make the right decision, take positive and constructive steps forward, avoid linking the Iranian nuclear issue with other issues and help the negotiations produce an outcome at an early date."

The Chinese spokesperson said Beijing would continue to work with all parties concerned to find a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, safeguard the nuclear non-proliferation regime and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.

US needs to respond positively to Iran's goodwill in JCPOA revival talks: China Foreign Ministry

China says the United States must respond positively to Iran

The stalemate on the nuclear deal was triggered in May 2018, when former US president Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the accord reached between Iran and the world powers and imposed harsh economic sanctions against the country under the so-called “maximum pressure” policy.

The talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in the Austrian capital of Vienna in April last year, months after Joe Biden succeeded Trump, with the intention of examining Washington’s seriousness in rejoining the deal and removing anti-Iran sanctions.

The talks have remain stalled since August, as Washington continues to insist on its hard-nosed position of not removing all sanctions that were slapped on the Islamic Republic by the previous US administration. Iran maintains that it is necessary for the other side to offer some guarantees that it will remain committed to any agreement that is reached.

Russia envoy questions E3 silence on EU JCPOA revival stance

In a relevant development, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, pointed to the latest remarks by the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, that the JCPOA has no alternative and criticized silence of the three European signatories to the deal, known as EU3 or E3, in this regard.

In a blog post on Friday, Borrell said there is no alternative to the nuclear deal when it comes to nuclear non-proliferation.

There is no alternative to Iran nuclear deal, EU’s Borrell says

I still believe that when it comes to nuclear non-proliferation, there is no alternative to the JCPOA, says EU’s Josep Borrell.

“Those who think otherwise simply fool themselves,” Borrell said, adding that he would “continue working towards restoring the JCPOA based on the results of the Vienna negotiations.”

• US looking for ‘excuse’ to derail talks on reviving Iran nuclear deal: Russian source

In reaction to Borrell's statement, Ulyanov said in a post on his Twitter account on Monday that "it is difficult to disagree."

"But the question is if France, Germany and the U.K.(E3) as participants in the #ViennaTalks share Mr. Borrell’s view? It remains unclear. All of them keep silence," the Russian lead negotiator tweeted.

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