China calls for mutual trust in Iran nuclear deal

China on Wednesday called for mutual trust and responsibility from all sides to safeguard and implement the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after the US slapped new sanctions on 18 entities and people linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program and other non- nuclear activities on Tuesday.

“All sides have the responsibility to safeguard and implement the Iran nuclear deal,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily press briefing.

China is resolutely opposed to any form of nuclear proliferation and has always opposed to the so- called “long- arm jurisdiction” by any country based on its domestic law, Lu said.

Iran and six world powers, namely, China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US, reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue in July 2015, which put it on the path of sanctions relief but with stricter limits on its nuclear program.

Calling the nuclear accord “an important multilateral outcome” and “a paradigm” for solving international hotspot issues through political and diplomatic means, Lu said that since the deal was reached two years ago, Iran has been earnestly implementing relevant measures and strengthening economic and trade cooperation with different countries, which is in line with the will of the interna- tional community.

Iran also vowed on Wednesday to “duly respond” to the new sanctions from the US while pledging to remain committed to the 2015 deal, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Iran will reciprocate US sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, adding that US pressure on Iran is a “plot” aimed at forcing Iran into falling short of its international commitments.