Iran Declares Readiness to Expand Trilateral Talks with Russia, China

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has voiced Iran’s readiness to expand trilateral discussions with Russia and China, amid talks between the three countries on Tehran’s civilian nuclear program.

“We have started trilateral talks between Iran, Russia, and China on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program for some time now,” Araqchi said in a Saturday interview with a Russian TV channel, The Caspian Post reports, citing IRNA.

He said two such meetings have already taken place, adding, “We are ready to continue these talks and expand them to other issues.”

Tehran has deepened its relations with Moscow and Beijing in recent years, becoming a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2023 and the BRICS group in 2024. Their military collaboration has also grown, with the latest example being joint naval exercises held by the three nations off Iran’s coast in March.

According to Araqchi, the three countries intend to further deepen their cooperation in order to promote global peace and security.

“Iran, China and Russia - in a coordinated move - can take effective steps towards international peace,” he said, adding that the three partners “are serious about this.”

Given the current international climate, he went on, working closely with Moscow and Beijing is “a necessity” for Tehran.