On the eve of an official visit to Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasizes the fears of an escalation of the confrontation. China urges the parties to respect the nuclear agreement that remains valid. "Dialogue and consultations" must be strengthened. And on the subject of oil he stresses that Beijing intends to "safeguard legitimate interests".
Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Growing tensions in the Middle East due to US pressure on Iran are a cause for concern; all parties involved should use more moderation and avoid a head-on collision with very serious geopolitical repercussions, states Chinese President Xi Jinping. He was speaking in an interview with two Russian news outlets on the eve of his official visit to Moscow, scheduled for today until June 7th.
The escalation of tension between the Islamic Republic and the Americans is of major concern and fear among the international community. The collapse of the Iranian currency and the growing difficulties of its economy is the result of the escalation in tension triggered by US President Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed by his predecessor, Barack Obama, leading to the thoughest sanctions in history.
Washington, which has reinforced the military presence in the area,wants to hit the oil exports of the Islamic Republic.
Interviewed by the Tass agency and the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, President Xi said that "due to the extreme pressure exerted by the White House on Tehran and following unilateral sanctions, tensions in the Middle East are constantly increasing. "The development of the situation - added the Beijing leader - is worrying".
For the Chinese giant the agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme, which remains valid, must be applied and respected by all parties. He adds that it is crucial for peace and stability in the Middle East and for non-proliferation of weapons.
"The vision and opinions of China and Russia - XI Jinping continued - on the Iranian nuclear issue are aligned". Both, he continues, hope "that all the parties involved remain rational and use moderation, strengthen dialogue and consultations".
In recent weeks, China has appeared very irritated by the continuing threats from the United States against nations and companies that, in violation of American sanctions, continue to import the oil of the ayatollahs. In this context, the huge commercial and energy afgreements between Tehran and Beijing should be mentioned. In this regard, President Xi did not directly address the issue of oil sanctions, but he seemed to allude to them when he said: "China will continue to firmly safeguard its legitimate interests and acquired rights".