Russia, China & Iran To Cooperate More In BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Amidst Nuclear Talks

China, Russia and Iran have agreed to boost coordination within the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the three countries’ diplomats said in a statement following a meeting in Beijing to discuss Iran’s nuclear issues.

China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu stated that “The parties agreed to support and strengthen coordination on multilateral platforms and within international organizations such as BRICS and the SCO.” Russia was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, while Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi represented Iran.

The trilateral meeting follows a series of overtures from US President Trump to resume nuclear talks with Tehran. The US president sent a letter this week to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for new talks but also warning that the US was within its rights to take military action against the country’s nuclear programme.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian then responded that he would not negotiate with the US while being “threatened”, and Iran would not bow to US “orders” to talk. Ayatollah Khamenei maintains Tehran does not have or want nuclear weapons, but a recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was close to the requirements for a nuclear bomb. US estimates suggest that Tehran could manufacture such a device within a week.

China’s Foreign Ministry stated “In the current situation, we believe that all parties should maintain calm and restraint to avoid escalating the Iran nuclear situation, or even walking towards confrontation and conflict.” The trilateral meeting is the latest attempt to broach the matter and an attempt to jumpstart talks between Iran and the United States on a level playing field and without disruptive rhetoric. With the recent trilateral Navy exercises in the Gulf of Oman also taking place this week, Russia and China are displaying their support for Iran and possible military reaction if the United States were to launch a pre-emptive strike.