Iran's Araghchi doubles down on China, Russia ties at Shanghai meeting
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi seized the opportunity at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China to denounce Israeli and US attacks on Iran, rally diplomatic support against sanctions and warn of regional instability should the fragile ceasefire collapse.
TEHRAN — Iran stepped up its diplomatic offensive at this week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China, using the platform to further strengthen its ties with Moscow and Beijing, while suggesting China could have a "constructive role" in the nuclear issue.
What happened: Iranian state media reported that Araghchi briefly met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and held consultations with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Araghchi's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the two sides emphasized the need for diplomatic solutions to Iran's nuclear dossier. Lavrov told reporters that the two had discussed peaceful ways forward and the importance of preserving regional stability. He noted that Tehran had not asked Russia for help rebuilding infrastructure damaged in the recent Israel-Iran war.
Lavrov and Araghchi also met at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro last week, during which they discussed the nuclear issue.
