The talks to revive the JCPOA are inching along in Vienna. While little progress has been made, influential factors and actors are stepping up to revive the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal.
Even as many stakeholders continue to push for stricter sanctions and a continuation of the "maximum pressure" policy, China has explicitly made its opposition clear. Beijing, a signatory of the original deal, has also not shied away from blaming President Trump's unilateral withdrawal for unraveling the agreement.
Despite America's "maximum pressure" campaign, China has continued trade with Tehran. Non-oil trade between the two from March 2020 -21 was valued at $18.715 billion. Early last year, Beijing inked a 25-year cooperation agreement with Iran, bringing Iran into its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. The agreement, pending the Iranian parliament's approval, hinges on Tehran reviving the nuclear deal.
