China Hails Iran-IAEA Agreement to Settle Issues
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian hailed a recent agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Tehran to resolve the safeguards implementation issues specified by the UN nuclear watchdog.
“China welcomes and applauds that the IAEA and Iran reached an agreement on the resolution of the safeguards implementation issues after friendly consultations. We hope the two sides will continue working toward the same direction and faithfully implement this agreement. We also call on all relevant sides to make constructive efforts in this regard,” Lijian said on Thursday a day after Iran and the IAEA issued a joint statement and reached an agreement on the resolution of the safeguards implementation issues specified by the UN nuclear watchdog.
Iran agreed to voluntarily grant the IAEA access to two sites specified by the nuclear agency.
He added, “Facts have shown time and again that unilateral bullying only exacerbates confrontation, while differences can only be narrowed through equal-footed dialogue. It is proved to be so on the safeguards implementation issues, and it is the same with other matters related to the Iranian nuclear issue. Under the current circumstances, all pertinent countries should keep to the right direction, staunchly uphold the authority and efficacy of the JCPOA and the UNSCR 2231, and work for the political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue”.
The Chinese spokesman was apparently referring to Tel Aviv and the United States’ pressure on the agency to sabotage the Iranian nuclear program.
The agreement came by after a two-day visit by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to Iran, where he met with senior Iranian officials.
Grossi’s visit took place over two months after the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution -- put forward by Britain, France and Germany -- to push for inspections of the two sites that the trio claimed might have been used for undeclared nuclear activities in the early 2000s.
It was the Israeli regime’s spy service that first came up with the allegations of such activity at the two sites. Iran had, however, strictly rejected the allegations and refused to let the Israeli claims form the basis of its cooperation with the IAEA, only choosing to make the locations available at its own will and upon the agency’s request.
In 2018, the US left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, a move that was welcomed and supported by the Israeli regime.
