Tehran — Iran, China, and Russia have intensified their strategic coordination on nuclear policy in a clear signal of defiance against mounting Western pressure, holding high-level talks in Vienna to discuss Iran’s nuclear dossier and their shared opposition to what they describe as politicized interference from the US and its allies.
The meeting brought together the three nations’ permanent representatives to international organizations in Vienna, including Russia’s seasoned envoy Mikhail Ulyanov, who described the session as “very helpful” in aligning positions ahead of upcoming discussions at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Diplomatic sources say the talks were part of a continuing series of tripartite engagements aimed at countering the West’s use of sanctions and coercive diplomacy to undermine Iran’s sovereign right to nuclear energy. Analysts note that for Tehran, Beijing, and Moscow, nuclear coordination is not merely about technical policy; it is a pillar of their broader geopolitical resistance to US-led hegemony.
This latest meeting follows earlier rounds of consultations in Vienna in May and in Beijing in March, both of which reinforced the trio’s commitment to maintaining a unified front on issues ranging from uranium enrichment to IAEA oversight. The discussions also come at a time when Russia and Iran are deepening bilateral cooperation in civilian nuclear technology, including negotiations on building small modular nuclear power plants in Iran, a move that would bolster the country’s energy independence and reduce reliance on Western-controlled markets.
China, for its part, has quietly but consistently supported Iran in nuclear diplomacy, opposing unilateral sanctions and advocating for the lifting of restrictions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In Beijing’s view, the JCPOA’s collapse was engineered by the Trump administration’s withdrawal in 2018 and perpetuated by Washington’s continued refusal to fully reenter the deal.
The timing of these trilateral talks is particularly significant, as Iran is also engaged in direct negotiations with the so-called E3, France, Germany, and Britain, in Istanbul to prevent the automatic “snapback” of UN sanctions slated for mid-October. These sanctions, sought by Western capitals, could cripple what remains of the nuclear deal and further escalate tensions in the region.
According to Mehr News, the Iranian, Chinese, and Russian delegations in Vienna underscored their shared opposition to such measures, framing them as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and a deliberate attempt to derail diplomacy. The report noted that Ulyanov reaffirmed Moscow’s stance that only genuine engagement, not sanctions, can resolve nuclear disputes.
