TEHRAN – The United States cannot affect China-Iran relations through pressure, an analyst at Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) said on Saturday.

Chinese companies preserve their ties with Iran and keep working with their Iranian counterparts, Wang Yongzhong told IRNA.

Wang Yongzhong said the sanctions imposed on Iran before the 2015 nuclear deal were supported globally but presently it is only the U.S. which has unilaterally withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear deal, while other five world powers are committed to keep the deal.

Iran and six world powers including the U.S., UK, France, Russia, China and Germany reached a landmark nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on July 14, 2015. The agreement went into force on January 16, 2016.

Despite worldwide support for the JCPOA, U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the deal back in May. Trump also said he will reinstate economic sanctions on Iran, sparking a storm of protest from the other signatories of the deal.

On Beijing’s stance on the future of the JCPOA after the U.S. exit, the Chinese analyst said the U.S. cannot put pressure on development of ties between China and Iran as long as the European countries and Russia support the pact.

In its relations with Iran, Beijing has followed international regulations, he said, adding that China, as an independent country, does not accept U.S. unilateral laws.

He went on to say that the Chinese state enterprises have not left Tehran after U.S. withdrawal and still cooperate with Iran.

On trade exchange between China and Iran, the analyst proposed that the two countries do oil deals and make investments using yuan instead of dollar.

MH/PA