China ‘unlikely’ to pressure Iran to make concessions in nuclear talks after US warning time is running out
- White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan recently warned that there were only ‘weeks’ left to keep the talks viable
- Beijing has moved to strengthen relations with Tehran over the past year and may feel it has little to gain by urging it to give in to Washington’s demands
The latest round of talks over the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) began in Vienna in late November and have been continuing over the past week.
Late last month US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said there may be only “weeks” left before the talks were no longer “viable”.
But the US can only negotiate through the other signatories – China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union- because Iran refuses to talk directly to the Americans.
The 2015 deal imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. But Donald Trump walked out on the deal in 2018 and then imposed further sanctions on Tehran.
Iran said in June that it had enriched uranium to 60 per cent- a significant step towards the nuclear weapons-grade level of 90 per cent.