China is set to host a meeting in Beijing on Friday, March 14, 2025, to discuss Iran's nuclear program

 China is set to host a meeting in Beijing on Friday, March 14, 2025, to discuss Iran's nuclear program, 

with participation from Russian and Iranian officials. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that both Russia and Iran will be represented by their deputy foreign ministers.

The ties between Iran and Russia have strengthened significantly since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, leading to the signing of a strategic cooperation treaty in January. Both nations also share strong diplomatic and economic relations with China.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, China’s Vice Foreign Minister, Ma Zhaoxu, will preside over the meeting. The announcement was made during a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

This discussion coincides with a closed-door session of the United Nations Security Council in New York on the same day, focusing on Iran’s increasing stockpile of uranium, which is nearing weapons-grade levels.

Recently, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, engaged in talks with Iran’s ambassador, Kazem Jalali, concerning global efforts to address Iran’s nuclear activities. This followed reports that Russia had facilitated communication between Iran and the U.S. government.

Iran has consistently denied any intent to develop nuclear weapons. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised concerns over Iran’s rapid uranium enrichment, which has reached 60% purity—close to the weapons-grade threshold of 90%.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed upon by Iran, the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany, had initially placed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in 2018, prompting Iran to gradually reduce its adherence to the deal.

China has reiterated its support for Iran’s legitimate rights and has advocated for the resumption of nuclear negotiations at the earliest opportunity.