TEHRAN - A Chinese professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Shanghai International Studies University says that Beijing does not support the expansion of the Iran nuclear deal to all other regional issues.

“Despite the U.S. attempts to bundle the Iranian nuclear issue with other regional policies, China does not support the expansion of the Iranian nuclear issue to all other regional security issues,” Yuan Zhang tells the Tehran Times.
 “The Iranian nuclear talks should not expand the topic of negotiations to regional issues such as the Palestinian-Israeli issue and the security of the (Persian) Gulf states,” the professor remarks.
Following is the text of the interview:

Q: How do you evaluate the Vienna talks? Is there any glimmer of hope to reach an agreement?

A: The Vienna talks have struggled to move forward amid stumbles. Given the differences between the United States and Iran, the prospects for negotiations are oppressive, but there is also some hope. The most important reason for optimism about the prospects of the negotiations is that the resumption of negotiations is a widely shared demand of all parties. Whether it is the Biden administration that wants to fulfill its campaign commitment or Iran that wants to lift sanctions to revive its economy, it is in their respective interests to return to the negotiating table.

“China understands Iran's reasonable demand for lifting sanctions, supports Iran in safeguarding its legitimate interests.”Of course, in order to push for a realistic agreement, the claims made by all parties should be legitimate and reasonable, and countries should not intimidate others at every turn, especially not by threatening to use military means to force the other side to make concessions.

Negotiations on the Iran nuclear deal should center on the Iranian nuclear issue itself, with the agreement aiming to establish controls and monitoring mechanisms to ban production of nuclear weapons, to lift sanctions against Iran, to restore crude oil exports, and to ensure compliance with the agreement and prevent any withdrawal from it.

Q: How do you see China's role in efforts to revive the JCPOA? What are the main advantages of reviving the nuclear deal for China?

A: China formally called the talks on the JCPOA beneficial and considers it has entered a new stage. 

China is firmly committed to political and diplomatic solutions to the Iran nuclear issue and to the effectiveness of the negotiations. China sees the Vienna talks as an opportunity to push the JCOPA back on track.

China maintains an objective and impartial position and advocates that all parties to the nuclear negotiations should work to maintain the negotiation process and explore creative solutions. China understands Iran's reasonable demand for lifting sanctions, supports Iran in safeguarding its legitimate interests, supports the negotiations, and will be willing to see an historic agreement reached in the Vienna talks. 

Despite the U.S. attempts to bundle the Iranian nuclear issue with other regional policies, China does not support the expansion of the Iranian nuclear issue to all other regional security issues. The Iranian nuclear talks should not expand the topic of negotiations to regional issues such as the Palestinian-Israeli issue and the security of the (Persian) Gulf states.

The JCPOA is not just an issue between Iran and the United States. The revival of negotiations would contribute to regional political stability, economic development, and rebuild trust between countries, as well as to the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

Q: China, besides Iran and Russia, is among the countries that are subjected to U.S. unilateral sanctions. What are the fallouts of U.S. embargoes on these countries? Do you think sanction policy is efficient?

A: China is firmly opposed to the U.S. government's successive "Long-arm jurisdiction" and sanctions against other countries. Those trade sanctions imposed by the United States on China prompt countermeasures and the damage will not only affect many countries and regions but ultimately hit the United States' own interests.

“China has no intention of replacing the U.S. in West Asia.”Imposition of sanctions flout international law and international rules. Unjustified sanctions cannot toxify a powerful regime nor hamstring its progress.

Q: How can the Iran-China strategic partnership change the game in the region especially when it comes to encountering U.S. sanctions?

The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Iran. The two countries have reached a good strategic cooperation relationship. The China-Iran friendship had weathered the international changes. The China-Iran Comprehensive Cooperation Program opens up broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

The United States has been adopting a strategic contraction in the Middle East (West Asia) in recent years. After the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the U.S. contraction posture has become more pronounced. There is a contradiction between the relatively aggressive U.S. attitude of maintaining the addition of new restrictions in the nuclear negotiations and the de facto U.S. behavior of strategic contraction from the Middle East (West Asia), which has also weakened the U.S. credibility in the negotiation process.

Q: Some critics say China intends to replace the U.S. in West Asia. What characterizes China's attitude and policies in this region?

A: China opposes unilateralism and hegemonic politics, defends the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and has no intention of replacing the United States in the Middle East (West Asia). Unlike the United States, which constantly demands that its Middle Eastern (West Asian) allies participate in the fight against China, China does not view its relationship with the United States as one of confrontation and cherishes its partnership with MENA countries. China values the development of friendly commercial relations with all countries around the world to realizing common prosperity to build a global community of shared future. China believes that the long-term stability of the Middle East (West Asia) depends on development and cooperation.

China advocates mutual respect and considers Middle Eastern (West Asian) countries as cooperative partners, development partners and peace partners. China has no desire to export its development model, but it is willing to share its experience of modernization and independent development with Middle Eastern (West Asian) countries, including Iran.