Iran nuclear deal vital for peace, says Chinese leader

CHINESE leader Xi Jinping called for the Iran nuclear deal to be “earnestly” implemented as he met the country’s president following the US withdrawal from the pact, state media said yesterday.

Mr Xi met one-on-one with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani following a two-day regional security summit in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao that also included Russia and former Soviet republics.

President Donald Trump announced last month the US was withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposing sanctions that would hit international businesses working in the Islamic republic.

The other parties to the deal – Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia – have vowed to stay in the accord but their companies risk huge pen- alties if they keep doing business in Iran.

In his meeting with Mr Rouhani, Mr Xi (pictured) described the deal as “an important outcome of multilateralism”.

He said the deal was “conducive to safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East and the international non-proliferation regime, and should continue to be implemented earnestly”.

Mr Rouhani said Iran expected the international community “to play a positive role”.