Donald Trump’s ‘flip-flopping is going to push Iran towards China’
Tehran may move closer to a more supportive Beijing if US president decides not to certify Iran nuclear deal, says former Chinese adviser and academics
US President Donald Trump’s tougher stance on Iran could push Tehran closer to Beijing, which will defend the Iran nuclear deal whether or not Trump decides to certify it, according to a diplomatic adviser involved in the deal and experts.
Calls to uphold the deal struck in 2015 between Iran and six major countries – the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany – have mounted ahead of Trump’s announcement, due on Friday, on whether sanctions waivers on Iran would be renewed.
On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he expected new US sanctions would be imposed on Tehran.
The collapse of the pact may push Washington and Iran – whose diplomatic ties were cut after the 1979 Iranian Revolution – back on a confrontation path after two years of improvement, but observers say it could also see Tehran move closer to Beijing.
Li Shaoxian, who participated in the Iran nuclear talks during the era of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said Beijing had played a crucial role in the 2015 deal as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
“[During negotiations for the 2015 deal] Iran and the US sought mediation through China when the talks were close to collapse. China’s tactic was to balance the interests of both sides, especially during the last stage of talks, for example, on how to rebuild the Arak heavy water reactor,” he said.