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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has identified China as the “biggest rival” to U.S. policies and called on Beijing to counteract American and Western unilateralism, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. Pezeshkian met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, as Iran seeks support from China and other U.S. rivals like Russia to counter potential new sanctions amid increasing Western pressure on its nuclear program.
Why It Matters
While China and Russia cannot prevent France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (the E3) from triggering the “snapback mechanism,” they could undermine its effectiveness. According to Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, Iran’s oil sales and foreign trade have not been halted by U.S. sanctions, as reported by Iranian media.
Senior Chinese and Iranian officials met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 2, 2025, to discuss these issues. China stated that it values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons and respects Tehran’s right to peaceful atomic energy, according to state media CCTV. Following the E3’s decision to reimpose sanctions, Russia and China proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution to extend the 2015 Iran nuclear deal timeline.
What To Know
China, Russia, and Iran jointly expressed opposition to the snapback sanctions at an SCO summit in Tianjin on Sunday. The E3 offered to extend the snapback mechanism for negotiations, but if Iran agrees, a new U.N. Security Council resolution would be required.
What People Are Saying
Pezeshkian stated that the U.S. and those in power want to impose their policies through force and sanctions. He emphasized the need to change behavior in face of unilateralism by engaging in interaction and trade rather than listening to words about sanctions.
China’s state media CCTV reported that Xi Jinping stressed the importance of communication and dialogue for lasting peace, emphasizing China’s respect for Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy uses.
Russia’s permanent representative to the U.N., Dmitry Polyanskiy, criticized the E3’s actions as mere escalatory steps and a lack of understanding of diplomacy.
What Happens Next
If no new resolution is adopted within 30 days from when the “snapback” was invoked, all previous U.N. sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal will be automatically reinstated.
