China’s Xi Sees Danger in Rising Pressure on Iran

Prior to an upcoming visit to Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave interviews to Russian media in which he warned that increasing pressure on Iran by the United States was cause for concern. “China and Russia’s views and positions on the Iran nuclear issue are highly aligned, and both hope that all relevant parties remain rational and exercise restraint, step up dialogue and consultations and lower the temperature on the present tense situation,” he said in remarks published by the TASS news agency and Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily, both owned by the Russian government. Last year, the Trump Administration pulled out of a 2015 multilateral agreement aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic’s drive to become a nuclear power. In doing so, it reimposed harsh economic sanctions and deemed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. A major segment of Iran’s military sector, a terrorist organization. In recent months, threats and counter-threats have led to an uptick in violence against US allies in the region, and in response, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier and strategic B-52 bombers to the region.