TEHRAN — The director-general of the department of arms control in China’s Foreign Ministry, Fu Cong, has said China does not support any renegotiation of the Iran nuclear pact, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Iran has made it explicitly clear that once the U.S. returns to the JCPOA and lifts all the sanctions they are ready to reverse all the steps they have taken, to reduce their commitment,” he said.

“I think that is a major indication on the part of Iran and we have no reason to doubt that, because before the U.S. withdrew from the agreement Iran was exemplary in its implementation of the agreement.”

The outgoing administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran after he pulled out of the JCPOA, which was signed under his predecessor Barack Obama.

With Joe Biden’s victory, however, hopes were raised over the survival of the nuclear deal. Biden has promised to return the United States into the JCPOA if Iran returns to compliance with the deal.

During the Wednesday interview, Fu said the key to unlocking the current situation surrounding the Iranian nuclear issue is the U.S. return to the JCPOA commitments.

“We believe that the key to breaking this stalemate is for the U.S to return to the JCPOA,” he remarked.

“Of course, by that we mean that the U.S. comes back to its commitments under the JCPOA and lifts all the sanctions related to the JCPOA. Both on Iran and third-party entities and individuals.”

“And, of course, on that basis, Iran should also come back to full compliance with the JCPOA. That's our view. And I would say that is a unanimous view of all the participants to the JCPOA,” he added.

President Hassan Rouhani has voiced confidence that the incoming Biden administration will abandon its sanctions policy against the Iranian people and will bow under their “national power” and resistance.

“It is this national unity that engenders national power for us and forces the enemy to bow down in the face of the people’s rights,” Rouhani said in remarks on Thursday.

“I am confident that the heroic steadfastness of the Iranian nation will make the next U.S. administration genuflect in the face of the people. This steadfastness will force them to return to their commitments and will create cracks in sanctions” he added.

MH/PA