China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu. (Photo: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

A trilateral meeting between China, Russia, and Iran on the Iranian nuclear issue began in Beijing on Friday.

A day earlier, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at a regular press conference that the Beijing meeting will be China's latest diplomatic effort to enhance communication and coordination on the issue and create conditions for resuming dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible.

“We believe all relevant parties should remain calm and restrained to prevent escalation, which could lead to confrontation and conflict,” she said. 

Ma reaffirmed that as a permanent UN Security Council member and a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), China supports resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means while upholding the international non-proliferation regime and promoting stability in the Middle East.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected holding negotiations with the United States on a nuclear deal, after a letter from President Trump called for such talks.