China hailed Iran's commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal, as verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency, urging all parties to continue to honor their contractual obligations. IAEA is tasked with monitoring Iranian compliance with the landmark deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The atomic agency has verified continued Iranian compliance in its latest report on Thursday.
Addressing a regular press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "China has noted the latest report submitted by the IAEA director general, which once again confirmed Iran's compliance with the JCPOA," Press TV reported. Hua noted that China welcomes this and commends the efforts made by Iran and IAEA.
"We hope that all relevant parties could carry on with their implementation of JCPOA and that IAEA could continue honoring its obligations with an objective, unbiased and professional attitude," she said. The IAEA report came as the United States—a party to the deal that seems to want to withdraw—has been attempting to portray Iran as being in violation of the agreement.
It also came shortly after the US pressed IAEA to request access to Iranian military sites for inspections, which attempt was aimed at undermining the deal.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley flew to IAEA headquarters in Vienna last week to personally lobby with the nuclear agency.
That attempt fell flat as the IAEA report came out.
IAEA officials—aware of US intentions to politicize the issue—later anonymously told Reuters that the agency was not going to request access to Iranian military sites.
"We're not going to visit a military site ... just to send a political signal," said one IAEA official.
The agency has "had no reason to ask" for inspections of Iranian military sites, said a second official.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is the only party to the deal that has been attempting to undermine it. Other parties, the UK, France, China, Germany and Russia, all continue to strongly support it.
