Iran diplomat visits China for talks on nuclear deal crisis

BEIJING – Iran’s foreign minister is visiting China for talks following President Donald Trump’s decision to scrap U.S. participation in the agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.

China’s Foreign Ministry and state media said Javad Zarif was visiting Beijing on Sunday at the head of a large political and economic delegation to “exchange views with relevant parties on the developments of the Iranian nuclear issue.”

China was closely involved in negotiating the agreement as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and has long been a close Iranian economic partner, buying about a third of Iran’s oil shipments.

Beijing has expressed regret over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement and says it remains committed to the pact.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday that China would “carry on the normal and transparent pragmatic co-operation with Iran.”