Chinese Foreign Minister: The Nuclear Agreement with Iran is on the Right Track

Following the deadline set by Donald Trump to correct the 'catastrophic flaws' of the Iran nuclear agreement, China announced through its foreign minister that the agreement is on the right track and that the country will play a constructive role in preserving and implementing the JCPOA. According to Reuters, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, stated in a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that the implementation of the nuclear agreement has not 'deviated' from its path but is facing 'new complexities.' In the continuation of this phone conversation, which took place during Wang's visit to Rwanda, he told Zarif that the continuation of the nuclear agreement's implementation is the responsibility of all stakeholders and the entire international community. He added that this agreement will help strengthen the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, maintain peace and stability in the region, and can assist in resolving 'other critical issues' globally. The Chinese foreign minister urged Iran to maintain its patience and continue fulfilling its commitments under this agreement. Reuters reminds that on Friday, Donald Trump agreed to continue suspending nuclear sanctions, which are part of the international community's agreement with Iran, but warned that if the flaws in this agreement, which he described as 'catastrophic,' are not corrected, this will be the last time he suspends sanctions against Iran. Major grievances of Donald Trump regarding the nuclear agreement include the temporary nature of parts of the agreement, Iran's financial benefits from it, the agreement's failure to prevent missile tests, the limited ability of inspectors to monitor Iranian sites, and Iran's non-compliance with the spirit of the JCPOA. The four-month deadline set by the U.S. President will put significant pressure on European countries, which are the main supporters of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, to accept his views for strengthening the JCPOA through signing a separate agreement within the next 120 days. In response to the U.S. President's decision, Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the nuclear agreement with Iran is not subject to review and negotiation, and Trump's position is 'an attempt to undermine a multilateral and robust agreement.' Despite Trump's approval of extending the suspension of nuclear sanctions against Iran, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on 14 individuals and entities in Iran, including Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary and a close associate of the Supreme Leader of Iran. The Iranian government stated on Saturday that it would take reciprocal action against these new sanctions but did not provide details. In late October of this year, under its new strategy towards Iran, the U.S. also refused to certify Tehran's compliance with the nuclear agreement while simultaneously including the Revolutionary Guards in its sanctions. U.S. officials have cited the 'unreliability' of the Iranian government as the reason for the U.S.'s hardline strategy towards Iran, but Iran believes that the cancellation of the nuclear agreement will lead to countries losing trust in the U.S., emphasizing that it does not intend to be the first country to exit the Vienna nuclear agreement.