BFF-26 China says Iran nuclear pact must be upheld

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BFF-26

CHINA-IRAN-US-POLITICS

China says Iran nuclear pact must be upheld

BEIJING, May 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – China on Wednesday called on all parties
to uphold the Iranian nuclear pact after Tehran said it would end curbs on
its uranium enrichment stockpile unless other powers helped it bypass renewed
US sanctions.

“Maintaining and implementing the comprehensive agreement is the shared
responsibility of all parties,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng
Shuang at a regular press briefing.

“We call on all relevant parties to exercise restraint, strengthen
dialogue, and avoid escalating tensions,” he said, adding that China
“resolutely opposes” unilateral US sanctions against Iran.

China is one of six parties that signed a 2015 deal to lift nuclear-
related sanctions on Iran in return for Tehran’s agreement to rein in nuclear
activities and ease fears it was seeking the capability to produce an atomic
bomb.

Iran’s Wednesday announcement that it would stop respecting limits on its
nuclear activities is part of a package of measures in response to sweeping
unilateral sanctions reimposed by Washington in the 12 months since it quit
the agreement.

The renewed sanctions have had a severe effect on the Iranian economy.

Tehran has warned that if the five other parties to the agreement — hina,
Britain, France, Germany and Russia — failed to deliver on their commitments
within 60 days to help Iran benefit from the deal despite the US sanctions,
it would suspend other key limits set by the deal.

BSS/AFP/FI/ 1430 hrs