China will host Iranian President Hassan Rohani in June, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said as major powers look for ways to save the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.
The Foreign Ministry on May 28 did not give the exact date for Rohani's visit, but said he would attend the June 6-10 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit as an observer.
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan established the SCO, a Eurasian political, economic, and security grouping, in the early 2000s. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, and Iran has expressed hopes of joining.
The ministry said Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbaev, and Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov will attend the summit, but it did not mention what other leaders are scheduled to come.
Iran signed the 2015 nuclear deal with China, Russia, France, Germany, Britain, and the United States. But U.S. President Donald Trump pulled on May 8 pulled out of the accord, which provided Tehran with relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
The other countries had urged Washington to remain in the deal, saying it was the best way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will host the SCO summit in the port city of Qingdao, has strongly supported the nuclear deal.
Based on reporting by Reuters and China Plus
