UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for the resumption of negotiations on the Iran nuclear issue.

"China calls on the relevant parties to enhance their sense of urgency, demonstrate their sense of responsibility, promptly resume negotiations, and strive to reach consensus and achieve results," said Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

The Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was once an important multilateral diplomatic achievement endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2231, Sun told a controversial Security Council meeting on the Iran nuclear issue.

However, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, and pursued a policy of "maximum pressure." In June 2025, together with Israel, the United States brazenly attacked Iranian nuclear facilities under safeguards by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

After the U.S. withdrawal, the three European parties (E3) to the JCPOA -- Britain, France and Germany -- aligned themselves with the United States in imposing unilateral sanctions on Iran, failed to fulfill their obligations under the JCPOA, failed to exhaust the dispute resolution mechanism, and insisted on pushing for the "snapback" of sanctions, thereby intensifying tensions and confrontation among the parties, Sun noted.

"Force and confrontation cannot resolve the issue. All parties should remain calm and exercise restraint, stick to diplomacy and dialogue to properly manage differences, so as to avoid returning to a vicious cycle of sanctions, pressure, and escalation," he said.

"The United States should earnestly assume its responsibilities, demonstrate political sincerity, make a clear commitment not to use force against Iran, and proactively resume negotiations with Iran. The E3 should abandon 'microphone diplomacy', play a constructive role in easing tensions and bridging differences, and translate their stated commitment to a diplomatic solution into concrete actions," Sun added.

Despite suffering unjust treatment, Iran has repeatedly reaffirmed the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, emphasized that it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, and actively engaged with all parties to seek solutions. China calls on relevant countries to attach importance to Iran's sincerity and positive efforts, instead of engaging in one-sided pressure and disruptive actions, he said.

"All relevant parties should respect each other's reasonable security concerns, ease tensions through equal dialogue, build mutual trust, and reach at an early date a solution that meets the expectations of the international community," Sun said.

As a permanent member of the Security Council and a party to the JCPOA, China has always played a constructive role in the Iran nuclear issue and has actively promoted peace and negotiations. China will continue to work with all parties to make unremitting efforts to promote the early resumption of negotiations, advance the political solution process of the Iran nuclear issue, uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East, he said.

At the very start of the meeting, Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia raised a point of order, noting that the Iran nuclear issue is no longer on the Security Council agenda.

Sun seconded Russia's position.

"I wish to point out that the E3's assertion of triggering the 'snapback' mechanism is legally and procedurally flawed, and that the Security Council has not reached consensus on whether the E3 had the right to trigger the mechanism. Security Council Resolution 2231 was terminated on Oct. 18, and the Security Council has concluded its consideration of the Iran nuclear issue," said Sun.

China has expressed concern that forcing the Security Council to convene a meeting under an agenda item that has already been terminated will only undermine the authority of Security Council resolutions, damage the council's unity, and exacerbate tensions and divisions.

China calls on Security Council members to uphold the authority of the Security Council and the credibility of multilateral diplomacy, and create favorable conditions for a political resolution of the Iran nuclear issue, said Sun. ■