TEHRAN – A Chinese state-run newspaper has called for the lifting of all U.S. sanctions on Iran, describing the move as a key to reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

In an editorial on Tuesday, China Daily said that there is an opportunity to salvage the nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as both the United States and Iran have shown a greater willingness to keep it alive.

“The hard-won deal was left on life support after the U.S. withdrew from it in 2018 and re-imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran. That the talks, which commenced in Vienna, Austria, on Monday, could happen at all shows all parties involved are still optimistic that dialogue can break the impasse,” the Chinese newspaper added.

It said, “To give this positivity some cause for celebration, the two parties concerned should try and heed each other's concerns and make efforts to meet each other half way.”

China Daily described the U.S. as the one who is responsible for the original collapse of the JCPOA.

 “As the one responsible for the original deal's collapse, the U.S. should lift all sanctions against Iran and third parties in order to show goodwill. Iran, on its part, should comprehensively fulfill the obligations it agreed to in the 2015 deal,” the newspaper said.

It further said, “Lifting the sanctions against Iran can serve as a touchstone for the U.S. administration's sincerity in rejoining the international deal. It could also help ease tensions between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic and even win Iran's cooperation over global crude oil prices as the U.S. is now keen to curb its serious inflation by driving down crude oil prices.”

China Daily also pointed to China’s position toward the Vienna talks. “As party to the Iran talks, China has always been committed to upholding the comprehensive Iran nuclear agreement and intensively communicated and coordinated with Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the U.S. and the European Union to promote the resumption of the negotiations,” the editorial stated.

According to China Daily, as long as the parties concerned engage in the negotiations with good faith and a constructive spirit, there is hope that the ongoing negotiations can come to some arrangement.

It concluded, “At this critical moment, therefore, it is imperative that the parties involved show sincerity and flexibility so that the talks can yield a fruitful outcome. The resumption of the Vienna negotiations is the result of concerted diplomatic efforts. It demonstrates the collective will to uphold the agreement and is consistent with the shared expectation of the international community. This opportunity should not be squandered by intransigence or nonviable demands.”

Diplomats from Iran the P4+1 group of countries -China, Russia, France, and the UK plus Germany – gathered Monday at the Palais Coburg hotel in Vienna amid global fanfare. It marked the resumption of the talks after a break of more than five months.

Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy foreign minister of Iran, and Enrique Mora, the EU deputy foreign policy chief, jointly chaired Monday’s plenary session.