China Once Again Encourages Iran to Sign Final Nuclear Agreement

Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, once again urged him to reach a nuclear agreement with global powers, stating that achieving a final agreement is "the will of the people." According to Reuters, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reported the content of this phone call on Tuesday, April 4. Wang Yi told Mr. Zarif that "reaching an agreement is the trend of the times and the desire of the people; this aligns with the common and long-term interests of all parties, including Iran." The Chinese Foreign Minister further stated that "nuclear talks with Iran are nearing their final stages" and that "China will continue to play a constructive role in this regard." Mr. Wang Yi had made a similar request to Iranian officials during his visit to Tehran last month. He also told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry earlier this month that discussions regarding Iran's nuclear program should not hit a deadlock in overcoming the last obstacles and that all negotiating parties should show some flexibility to reach a result. An initial deadline has been set for negotiations between Iran on one side and the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain on the other regarding the framework for an agreement. This initial deadline is at the end of March, less than a week away, and after that, June 30 has been announced as the deadline for reaching a final agreement. China and Iran have close relations in the energy sector and in diplomatic, economic, and commercial fields. China's crude oil imports from Iran last year increased by 30% to their highest average level since 2011. This was made possible after the signing of a temporary agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group eased some of the sanctions pressure on Iran.