Jin Liangxiang, an associate research fellow at the Center for West Asian and African Studies in Shanghai, tells the Tehran Times that Iran has been very cooperative with the IAEA and that“no member states can accept endless inspections” and “limitless access” to locations in their territories, specifically without “solid evidence.” Dr. Jin, a senior research fellow in the Institute for International Strategic Studies(SIIS) also says the EU cannot stand up to the U.S., as “the EU is vulnerable both because of its internal division, particularly as a result of U.S. intentional divide-and-rule policy toward theEU, and its dependence on the U.S. for security protection.”

On the future of Sino-Iranian relations, he notes, “The future will see that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is growing stronger and stronger as political elites on both sides attach great importance to such relationship, and trust and friendship between the two peoples are growing stronger.”

The text of the interview with Jin Liangxiang is as follows:

Q: The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors adopted a resolution drafted by the UK, France, and Germany, calling on Iran to cooperate immediately and fully by providing the Agency with prompt access. But Tehran says the Agency has not provided it with clear and legal reasoning. Besides, Iran has warned against attempts to engage it in an endless process with the Agency.What is your thought?

A: Member states are indeed obliged to cooperate with the IAEA in inspections regarding their nuclear activities. Iran is one of the countries that the IAEA has seen most sufficient cooperation with, as various IAEA reports have indicated. On the other hand, member states are also sovereign states with sovereignty. No member states can accept endless inspections or grant limitless access to locations in their territories, particularly if the request is not based on solid evidence.

Q: European signatories to the 2015nuclear deal have never seriously stood up to the U.S. while they have already failed to meet their commitments under the agreement following Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord. In your view, has Iran any reason to trust Europe?

A: the EU has at least three reasons to stay committed to the JCPOA. Firstly, the EU regards the JCPOA as one of its major but rare diplomatic achievements and regards the deal as the success of its approach of normative diplomacy different from that of the U.S. Secondly; the EU also considers the JCPOA as the best way to realize its economic interests in Iran. Thirdly, the EU regards the JCPOA as necessary to maintain peace or at least prevent the security situation of its West Asian neighborhood from going worse.

But unfortunately, the EU is vulnerable because of its internal division, mainly as a result of U.S. intentional divide-and-rule policy toward the EU, and its dependence on the U.S. for security protection. The EU does not have the capability to confront the U.S. in issues relating to the JCPOA.

Despite frustrations and dissatisfactions with the EU, Iran will have to appreciate the EU’s open expression against the U.S. for withdrawing from the JCPOA and will have to work with the EU to maintain the JCPOA. In this regard, as a nation with ancient civilization, Iran will have to see its own wisdom and patience as well.

Q: How do you see the future of the JCPOA? And what will be the consequences of the resolution?

A: E3 will stay committed with the JCPOA, but it is also true that they are also seriously concerned about the prospect of nuclear proliferation issues in West Asia and other places in the world. International politics will define the consequences of the resolution. It will finally depend on how major players, including the U.S., China, Russia, France, Britain, and Germany, interact on this issue, and how Iran will conduct its diplomacy among major parties. Besides criticizing the EU countries, Iran will have to win trust from them. That will make things evolve in the directions in favor of Iran.

Q:  What is the main purpose of the United States and Europe in taking such actions?

A: The U.S. and Europe, though standing together in the resolution mentioned above, have different purposes. The U.S. led by the Trump administration has actually fallen to be a cats’ pawn for Israel and would find every chance to contain against and punish Iran while the EU might really have some concerns for potential proliferation in West Asia.

Q: As a Chinese expert in West Asian studies, how do you analyze China’s statement to the IAEA, saying,“The root causes of this situation lie in the unilateral and bullying practices of the U.S.”?

A: China has been very clear that the U.S. should be responsible for the current problems in the implementation of the JCPOA. If the U.S. had not withdrawn from the JCPOA and had seriously implemented it, there would be no tensions about the nuclear issue, and Iran-U.S. relations could have improved.

Q: What is the prospect of Sino-Iranian relations?

A: China’s support for Iran’s legitimate quests and rights in the JCPOA is one essential part of the mutual supports of the two and will serve to promote all-round relations between the two. In January 2016, China and Iran announced that the two would construct a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Iran. The last four years have seen the two sides are moving forward steadily despite some frustrations on the Iranian side due to some over-expectations, and have seen the two sides have mutually supported each other firmly. China voiced very clearly its support for Iran’s legitimate standings in the nuclear issues.

The COVID-19 fight sees the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of the two is growing mature. Iran was the first country that had expressed political support and sympathy at the foreign minister’s level for China. It was among the countries that had delivered assistance to China earliest when China first found the disease. Iran’s help for China was reciprocated when Iran saw the disease’s outbreak in late February 2020. Iran was the first country that China had dispatched medical experts, and was among the countries that China had delivered the largest amount of assistance. The joint COVID-19 fight also saw the strong people-to-people friendship between China and Iran. China-Iran WeChat Group of Mutual Assistance in the COVID-19 fight was created shortly after the outbreak of the disease in Iran, and more than three hundred overseas students and professors of the universities learning and teaching Chinese and Farsi, and exchange students in medicine in the two countries joined the group. They translated articles, videos, and pamphlets on the prevention and treatment of the epidemic from Chinese to Farsi, and spread these materials to an Iranian audience via WeChat and other social media, which greatly served to educate the Iranian audience of the severity of the disease and the ways to fight it. The future will see that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is growing stronger and stronger as political elites on both sides attach great importance to such a relationship, and trust and friendship between the two peoples are growing stronger.

According to information released by the Iranian side recently, the two are currently working on a 25-year vision of cooperation, which is both proofs that the bilateral relationship between the two is reaching a new high level and a new momentum further consolidating relations between the two.

Source of documents：Tehran Times, July 6