BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- China hopes the new U.S. administration will rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program as soon as possible and lift all relevant sanctions, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Wednesday.

An Iranian flag is pictured at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Jan. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

According to media reports, President-elect Joe Biden's incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan signalled recently that the Biden administration is preparing to rejoin the JCPOA to force Iran to implement the deal.

"China hopes the United States will return to the JCPOA unconditionally and as soon as possible, resume the honoring of its obligations and lift all relevant sanctions," said Zhao.

He said that the U.S. side should take concrete steps to fulfil its obligations, advance the process of political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and safeguard regional peace and stability.

In 2018, the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.