Senior Chinese and Russian diplomats said dialogue should only resume based on "mutual respect" and all sanctions ought to be lifted.

Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called Friday for an end to U.S. sanctions on Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program and a restart to multinational talks on the issue. The three countries' meeting was the latest attempt to broach the matter and come after U.

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