Iran's FM to visit China for talks on ties, U.S. negotiations

TEHRAN, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi will travel to China on Tuesday, during which he will discuss Iran's ongoing indirect negotiations with Washington, as well as Iran-China ties, with Chinese officials, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced Monday.

"During the trip, which was planned in advance, we will hold consultations with Chinese officials on the process of our indirect talks with the United States and will inform them of the latest developments in this regard," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters at a weekly press conference in Tehran.

He noted that the two sides would also discuss Iran's nuclear program, the removal of the U.S. sanctions, as well as bilateral ties.

Baghaei said China can play "a constructive and influential role" as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), describing China as Iran's "important friend and partner."

Iran and the United States held the second round of their indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear program and removal of Washington's sanctions in the Italian capital Rome on Saturday with Oman's mediation. The first round took place in Muscat, Oman on April 12, and a third round is scheduled for the Omani capital again this coming Saturday.

The discussions, described as "constructive" by both sides, came in the wake of a letter sent by U.S. President Donald Trump to Iran's leadership in early March, proposing talks on Tehran's nuclear program. Trump later warned of military action should Iran reject his offer for talks.

Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States -- in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

However, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress.