China is hosting diplomats from Iran and Russia for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program Friday as Beijing aims to position itself as a power broker on an issue seen internationally as a pressing security concern.

China and Russia stood by Iran on Friday after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on "mutual respect" and all sanctions ought to be lifted.

China urged an end to "illegal" sanctions on Iran as it hosted diplomats from that country and Russia on Friday for talks Beijing hopes will restart long-stalled negotiations on Tehran's nuclear programme.

China called on Thursday for a "diplomatic" resolution to the Iran nuclear issue as it prepared to host diplomats from Tehran and Moscow for talks.

Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia and China gathered in Beijing on Friday for talks on Tehran's nuclear issues, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported, days after Tehran rejected U.S. "orders" to resume dialogue over the Iranian nuclear programme.

China hosted Russian and Iranian diplomats on Friday for talks Beijing hopes will restart long-stalled negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program.The United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 deal, which imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear development in return for sanctions relief,

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