On December 16, 2020, a video conference of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) at the level of political director-generals was held. It was chaired by Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Helga-Maria Schmid and attended by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and relevant officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Director-General of the Department of Arms Control of China's Foreign Ministry Fu Cong attended the conference as well.

Fu Cong pointed out that the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and its extreme pressure against Iran are the root cause of the disputes of the implementation of the JCPOA. All parties should stay united, manage conflicts, resolve disputes within the Joint Commission's framework, and promote the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA. The Iranian nuclear issues are confronted with new opportunities and challenges now. All parties should work with a greater sense of urgency to bring the JCPOA back on track.

All parties discussed the diplomatic efforts made for safeguarding the JCPOA and said they will continue to firmly promote the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA.