China is hosting diplomats from Iran and Russia for talks on Iran’s nuclear program Friday as Beijing aims to position itself as a power broker on an issue seen internationally as a pressing security concern.

China and Russia stood by Iran on Friday after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on "mutual respect" and all sanctions ought to be lifted.

China, Russia, and Iran held talks in Beijing demanding an end to US sanctions on Tehran, while a sanctions expert expressed skepticism about lifting sanctions as a precondition for negotiations.

The Kremlin, asked on Monday if Russia had held consultations with Iran before or after Tehran responded to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump urging the country to negotiate a nuclear deal, said Iran formulates its own policy positions.

Beijing calls for diplomacy over escalation, with all 3 nations urging looking at 'root causes' of Iranian nuclear issue - Anadolu Ajansı

Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called Friday for an end to U.S. sanctions on Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program and a restart to multinational talks on the issue. The three countries' meeting was the latest attempt to broach the matter and come after U.

China and Russia joined Iran in denouncing US sanctions and backed efforts to restore a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran that President Donald Trump abandoned in his first term and now wants to replace.

Chinese, Russian, and Iranian officials met on Friday and called for an end to U.S. sanctions on Tehran’s nuclear program and for a resumption of multinational talks on their program. The trio of countries “emphasized the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions,

The trilateral meeting in Beijing came after Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader aiming to restart negotiations over the nuclear issue.View on euronews