China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sun Lei voted against the Iranian nuclear issue at the Security Council's public meeting and urged an end to political manipulation

China News Service, United Nations, September 10th The United Nations Security Council held a public meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue on the 10th. Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, voted against the procedural vote on the agenda at the meeting and urged individual members to stop using the Security Council to advance their own political agenda and avoid creating new obstacles to the political settlement process of the Iranian nuclear issue.

Sun Lei said that it has been more than two months since the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding. However, the memorandum was undermined shortly after it came into effect. Military frictions between the parties involved continued, and dialogue and negotiations have not been put on the agenda. At present, the 60-day window period set by the memorandum of understanding has expired. The United States has increased unilateral sanctions against Iran, launched a new round of military strikes against Iran, and the United States and Iran have exchanged attacks. The regional situation has become tense again, and the efforts of all parties to promote peace and talks have been seriously frustrated. China is highly concerned and deeply worried about this.

Sun Lei said that repeated wars in the Middle East have caused serious harm and losses to the people of various countries, including Iran, and the spillover effects have continued to expand, harming the common interests of the international community. The parties concerned should abandon the resort to force or the threat of force, resume the implementation of the memorandum of understanding as soon as possible, and push the Iranian nuclear issue back to the track of political and diplomatic settlement.

Sun Lei said that the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA, used force against Iran twice during the negotiation process, and pushed for maximum pressure on Iran. These are the main reasons for the current situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear issue to be complicated and difficult to resolve. All parties concerned cannot put the cart before the horse. The United States should promise not to use force again, negotiate with Iran in good faith, and ensure the effective implementation of new agreements in the future.

Sun Lei said that when dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue, double standards must be abandoned and the legitimate rights and interests of the parties concerned must be respected. As a non-nuclear-weapon party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran has the legitimate right to peacefully use nuclear energy. China affirms Iran's repeated commitments not to develop nuclear weapons. China supports the United States and Iran in properly resolving relevant differences through rational and pragmatic negotiations, ensuring that Iran can carry out peaceful nuclear activities in an orderly manner under the strict safeguards and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and eliminate the risk of nuclear proliferation.

Sun Lei said that distorting the historical latitude and longitude of the Iranian nuclear issue, ignoring the difficulties faced by Iran in resuming safeguards, supervision and verification, insisting on promoting the restoration of sanctions on Iran in the Security Council, and forcing the Security Council to intervene in the Iranian nuclear issue will not help all parties build trust and bridge differences. Under the current circumstances, the Security Council should play a constructive role and create a positive and favorable atmosphere for dialogue and negotiations.

Sun Lei said that China has always stood firmly on the side of peace, dialogue and correct history. As a participant in the JCPOA and a permanent member of the Security Council, China will continue to work with all parties to promote the political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation system, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East. (over)