Russia and China Condemn US Actions to Alter JCPOA and International Treaties

The foreign ministers of Russia and China jointly condemned what they describe as unilateral US actions to alter treaties, ranging from the nuclear agreement with Iran to international agreements on climate change and international trade regulations. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Sergey Lavrov, after meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Moscow, stated that the Trump administration is attempting to act unilaterally in many areas involving multiple countries. He cited US efforts to change the nuclear agreement with Iran despite the consent of other signatories and the international climate treaty signed by 166 countries. Lavrov said, "This has nothing to do with diplomacy. It is an attempt to impose one's interests while completely disregarding the interests of others." He added, "Unilateralism is always bad, especially when it becomes the main tool of foreign policy. China and Russia have always shown their readiness to reach reasonable agreements based on considering everyone's interests." "We in Russia advocate for direct dialogue to resolve any issues. We never shy away from negotiations. It is the US that does this." Donald Trump has asked European countries that are signatories to the nuclear agreement with Iran to provide a supplementary agreement to compensate for what he describes as "catastrophic flaws" in the agreement. Trump has particularly criticized the agreement's inability to limit Iran's missile programs and the ten-year cap on uranium enrichment. He has threatened to withdraw from the nuclear agreement if these flaws are not addressed, and European countries have been negotiating with the US government in response to Trump's criticisms. Lavrov pointed out that the nuclear agreement with Iran is the result of years of diplomatic efforts, and from Russia's perspective, any attempt to change this agreement is a violation of its provisions and the Security Council resolution that endorsed it. Iran has also taken a similar stance and opposes any changes to this agreement. The IRNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, on Thursday saying, "We want to remain in this agreement, but if Trump withdraws, we will take another approach." He promised that if Trump exits, Iran will show a strong response. Lavrov also accused the US government of intending to unilaterally change the regulations of the World Trade Organization and the Minsk agreement of 2015, which outlines the framework for establishing peace in Ukraine. US officials have repeatedly complained that the Minsk agreement has failed to create a sustainable agreement between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country, but they have not publicly discussed changing it. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also criticized US policies, focusing on Washington's plan to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, as well as Trump's threat to impose $150 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. The Chinese foreign minister stated, "If the US thinks it can achieve superiority by protecting its industries, it is making a wrong calculation." He described the imposition of tariffs on Chinese imports as "clear unilateralism and an attempt to gain hegemony." He added, "The international community must jointly confront this unilateralism and violation of regulations." Before the Chinese foreign minister's visit to Moscow, the Chinese defense minister also visited Russia, aiming to demonstrate the development of military relations between China and Russia to the US. Moscow and Beijing have recently conducted joint military exercises, including in the South China Sea and the Baltic Sea, showcasing the development of military cooperation between the two countries. China and Russia have long established a relationship they call "strategic cooperation," reflecting their common goal of creating a "multipolar" world with multiple centers of power while opposing a "unipolar" world controlled by the US. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a warm relationship with the Chinese president, and the two leaders meet alternately. Putin is scheduled to visit Beijing in June to participate in security cooperation meetings controlled by China and Russia. On Thursday, during a meeting with the Chinese foreign minister in Moscow, Putin praised the recent decision of the Chinese legislature to remove presidential term limits. In return, the Chinese foreign minister conveyed his president's congratulations on Putin's victory in last month's elections. Putin stated, "I want to express hope that after the Russian presidential elections and significant political events in the People's Republic of China, we will continue to move towards strengthening bilateral relations."