A protest against the role that U.S. sanctions play on Iran and the exacerbation of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) worldwide. (Photo: Reuters)

Beijing, February 20 (RHC)-- China says the United States should immediately lift the sanctions it has re-imposed on Iran after Washington’s violation of a multilateral nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic and unilaterally leaving the deal.

Beijing made the call hours after the United States adopted a number of symbolic gestures with regard to the nuclear agreement but stopped short of removing the bans against Iran. 

In recent weeks, Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads over which side should first return to compliance with the nuclear deal – officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018.

Iran says the U.S. should first lift all the sanctions put in place under the Trump administration before the Islamic Republic returns to full compliance. Tehran believes it was the White House that complicated the circumstances by the pullout, which in turn prompted Iran to take remedial measures.

A year after the withdrawal, the Islamic Republic began a set of countermeasures that saw it gradually suspending its commitment to the JCPOA.  Since then, Tehran has consistently reassured the international community that it will return to full compliance as soon as other parties begin to honor their commitments.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry posted a message on Twitter in that regard on Friday.   “The #US needs to return to the JCPOA unconditionally ASAP and lift all sanctions on #Iran,” the post read.  It also urged Iran to consequently “resume full compliance with” the nuclear accord.