Top diplomats from Iran, Russia, and China convened in Beijing on Friday to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. The meeting follows Iran’s rejection of U.S. calls to resume negotiations over its nuclear activities.
Iran originally agreed to curb its nuclear program in 2015 under a deal with the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany in exchange for sanction relief. However, the pact collapsed in 2018 when then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement.
Last week, Trump claimed he had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, offering nuclear talks, warning that Tehran could either negotiate or face military action. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the offer, stating that Iran would not negotiate under threats.
Tensions further escalated after six UN Security Council members, including the U.S., Britain, and France, held a closed-door meeting on Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran condemned the meeting as a “misuse” of the UN body.
Ahead of Friday’s discussions, China expressed hope that the trilateral meeting with Russia and Iran would help facilitate the resumption of broader diplomatic talks.
While Iran insists it is not developing nuclear weapons, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently warned that Tehran has significantly accelerated uranium enrichment to nearly 90% weapons-grade levels.
