President,

China voted against the procedural motion on the adoption of the agenda. We regret the outcome of the vote.

It has been more than two months since the United States and Iran signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). However, the MoU came under strain shortly after taking effect. Military frictions among the parties concerned have continued, and dialogue and negotiations have yet to be put on the agenda. At present, the 60-day window set out in the MoU has expired. The United States has stepped up unilateral sanctions against Iran and launched a new round of military strikes on Iran. The United States and Iran have exchanged attacks, regional tensions have once again escalated, and efforts by various parties to promote peace talks have suffered serious setbacks. China is highly concerned and deeply worried about these developments. I wish to make the following points:

First, political settlement must be upheld as the path forward, and dialogue and consultation as the right way. Repeated hostilities in the Middle East have caused serious harm and losses to the peoples of countries in the region, including Iran, while the spillover effects continue to expand, undermining the common interests of the international community. The parties concerned should renounce the use or threat of force, resume implementation of the MoU as soon as possible, and bring the Iranian Nuclear issue back onto the track of a political and diplomatic solution. They should work toward a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, a peace agreement, and a political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian Nuclear issue, and seek the broadest possible consensus that accommodates the legitimate concerns of all parties.

Second, both the symptoms and root causes must be addressed, with a focus on resolving the source of the problem. The United States' unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), its two rounds of military action against Iran during the negotiation process, and its policy of maximum pressure against Iran are major causes of the current complexity and intractability of the situation in the Middle East and the Iranian Nuclear issue. The parties concerned should not put the cart before the horse. The United States should make a clear commitment not to use force again, engage in sincere negotiations with Iran, and ensure the effective implementation of any future agreement. The parties concerned should handle their relations on the basis of equality and mutual respect, work to ease the current situation, and explore a comprehensive solution.

Third, objectivity and impartiality must be upheld, and the goals of nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy must be pursued in a balanced manner. The Iranian Nuclear issue must be handled without double standards and with full respect for the legitimate rights and interests of the parties concerned. As a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran enjoys the legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. China takes note of and affirms Iran's repeated commitment not to develop nuclear weapons. China supports the United States and Iran in properly resolving their differences through rational and pragmatic negotiations, ensuring that Iran conducts peaceful nuclear activities in an orderly manner under rigorous IAEA safeguards and verification, and preventing any risk of nuclear proliferation.

Fourth, right and wrong must be judged on their merits, and the abuse of sanctions and the stoking of confrontation must be opposed. Distorting the historical context of the Iranian Nuclear issue, disregarding the difficulties Iran faces in restoring safeguards and verification, insisting on pushing for the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran in the Security Council, and forcing the Council to intervene in the Iranian Nuclear issue will not help the parties build trust or bridge differences. Under the current circumstances, the Security Council should play a constructive role and foster a positive and enabling atmosphere for dialogue and negotiations. Certain members should stop using the Security Council to advance their own political agendas and avoid creating new obstacles to the political settlement of the Iranian Nuclear issue.

President,

Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward a four-point proposal on improving the common security of the Middle East. Following his earlier four-point proposition on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, this is another Chinese proposal for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region. China has always stood on the side of peace, on the side of dialogue, and on the right side of history. As a participant in the JCPOA and a permanent member of the Security Council, China will continue to work with all parties and make unremitting efforts to advance the political settlement of the Iranian Nuclear issue, uphold the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and promote peace and stability in the Middle East.

Thank you, President.