Iran, Russia, China agree to expand nuclear coordination in Tehran meeting

Iran hosted a high-level tripartite meeting on 22 July with official delegations from Russia and China to discuss the nuclear file and the lifting of western sanctions, according to Tasnim News Agency.

The discussions, held under the auspices of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, addressed “the latest developments in the nuclear negotiations and efforts to lift sanctions imposed on Iran,” the semi-official news agency said.

All three parties reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining “close coordination and exchanging views on issues related to the nuclear agreement,” with emphasis on continued consultations to counter western policies, particularly US sanctions.

Delegates agreed to maintain open coordination channels and to convene again at multiple levels in the coming weeks. The statement described these plans as “joint efforts to support regional stability and enhance strategic cooperation.”

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said that Iran’s upcoming meeting with the European Troika in Istanbul will include a review of “Iran's position on activating the trigger mechanism,” alongside discussion of “possible solutions to outstanding issues, and how to manage the current situation.”

Gharibabadi reiterated that “activating the trigger mechanism is entirely illegal,” adding that “other parties have no legal justification for doing so.”

The Istanbul meeting, scheduled for Friday, will be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers from Iran, the UK, France, and Germany, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed on 22 July.

The talks follow recent threats from the three European governments saying Iran's “failure” to resume nuclear negotiations will result in the reimposition of international sanctions.

Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that if the European Union and its member states “want to have a role, they should act responsibly, and put aside the worn-out policies of threat and pressure, including the 'snap-back' for which they lack absolutely [any] moral and legal ground.”

Source: https://thecradle.co/