China has called for “illegal” sanctions against Iran to be lifted after it hosted diplomats from Tehran and Moscow for talks.

It comes as Beijing pushes for new negotiations to be held over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The US withdrew from a previous 2015 landmark deal, which imposed curbs on Tehran’s nuclear development in return for sanctions relief, during Donald Trump’s first term as president. 

The Republican has been calling for a new nuclear deal with Iran following his return to the White House in January.

However, Tehran has said no such agreement is possible as long as punishing sanctions remain in place.

Efforts to reach a deal were given new urgency last month when the UN’s nuclear watchdog said Iran had significantly increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Ma Zhaoxu, China’s vice foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, and Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, met on Friday and “exchanged views on the Iran nuclear issue and other issues of common concern,” Chinese state media reported.