‍China, once again, expresses it firmly supports the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the remarks during Wednesday's daily news briefing, after announcing Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi's trip to Vienna for a ministerial meeting on the Iran nuclear issue this Friday. 

The JCPoA is a multilateral agreement reached by the P5+1 (UN Security Council's five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States plus the European Union) and Iran through negotiations and got endorsement from the UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Under the deal, Tehran pledged "that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons."

The US, however, pulled itself out from the deal in May, with President Donald Trump calling it “defective at its core”.  

The decision immediately aroused international controversies.

China has called on all relevant parties to assume a responsible attitude, bear the long-term interests and overall picture in mind, stay committed to the political and diplomatic solutions, properly handle differences and come back to the right track of continuing with their efforts to implement the JCPoA as soon as possible.

In addition, China will maintain dialogue and consultation with all relevant parties and stay committed to upholding and implementing the JCPoA in an objective, unbiased and responsible manner.

It will be the first foreign ministers' meeting by parties remaining within the JCPoA after the US' withdrawal.

EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, along with foreign ministers from Iran, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China are expected to attend the talk.

(Top photo: China's Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi delivers a speech at an international forum on the "Belt and Road" Legal Cooperation in Beijing, China July 2, 2018. /Reuters Photo)