China and Russia yesterday joined Iran in denouncing US sanctions, and backed efforts to restore a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran that US President Donald Trump abandoned in his first term and now wants to replace.

The three countries — all sanctioned by the US to varying degrees — stressed the need to end unilateral restrictions and urged the resumption of international talks over Iran’s atomic activities at a meeting in Beijing, a joint statement said.

Russia and China were key participants in the agreement signed during former US president Barack Obama’s administration that restricted Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief, before Trump’s withdrawal in 2018.

The participants in Beijing emphasized the need for all countries to abstain from actions that would undermine the inspection activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency monitors still working in Iran. The UN watchdog last month reported a surge in nuclear activity in Iran over the past few months.