China: Setting deadline for nuclear talks unconstructive

“The negotiations on reviving compliance with the JCPOA have entered a crucial stage. China agrees that all parties should have a stronger sense of urgency, fully demonstrate goodwill and flexibility, and move toward reaching an agreement at an early date,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated at a regular news briefing on Tuesday.

“At the same time, we believe that it is not constructive to artificially set up a deadline for the negotiations. All parties should exercise necessary patience, properly resolve differences and create favorable conditions for negotiations,” he added.

Tehran and Moscow have also pushed back on the need to establish a fixed deadline for the nuclear negotiations to conclude.

Iranian officials have rejected western diplomats’ remarks about a deadline for reaching an agreement in Vienna talks, and stressed Tehran is only after a good agreement.

“As the culprit of the Iranian nuclear crisis, the US should overhaul its erroneous policy of ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran, and lift all illegal sanctions on Iran and third parties. On this basis, Iran should resume full compliance,” Zhao noted.

“China will continue to participate in negotiations constructively and work with all parties to bring the JCPOA back to the right track at an early date,” the spokesman stated.

On Tuesday, representatives from Iran and five world powers – known as P4+1 – have resumed the eighth round of talks in the Austrian capital.

The US Administration has recently announced it sees a path to an agreement in the Vienna talks over the nuclear deal, but Iran must make “tough political decisions now”. Iran has repeatedly rejected any deadline or precondition over the deal, stressing the US that unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA must first lift its sanctions against Tehran. Iran has also stated that a deal can be reached immediately if the US gives the necessary guarantees that it will remove the sanctions and honor its obligations.