WASHINGTON (TNND) — A bond between three of America's biggest adversaries has gotten stronger. In a public showing of support for Iran, Russia and China have called on the United States to end "unlawful" sanctions on the Middle Eastern country in a joint statement after a meeting of foreign ministers in Beijing on Friday.

The three nations knew they had leverage after President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week in an attempt to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“I said I hope you’re gonna negotiate because it’s gonna be a lot better for Iran," Trump said.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has enough 60% enriched uranium to make approximately seven nuclear weapons if enriched further. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

Trump warned Iran they can either make a deal or the matter will be handled "militarily."

"The time is happening now. The time is coming up. Something’s gonna happen one way or the other," Trump said.

The supreme leader said Iran won't negotiate under pressure and has instead turned to Russia and China.

"The three countries reiterated that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option in this regard," Russia, China and Iran said in a joint statement Friday.

They also said "relevant parties should be committed to addressing the root cause of the current situation and abandoning sanction, pressure, or threat of force."

As a basis for talks on the "nuclear issue and sanctions lifting," Russia, China and Iran are standing by the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, otherwise known as the Iran nuclear deal of 2015, from which Trump withdrew the United States in May of 2018.

To complicate things further, the United States is engaged in precarious talks with Russia in an attempt to end its invasion of Ukraine and is in fierce economic competition with China. During remarks in the Oval Office Thursday, Trump remarked on the high stakes at play.

“The power of nuclear weapons is so great and so devastating and right now, Russia and us have by far the most but China will catch us within five years. China doesn’t have, but they’re in the process of building and they build and within four or five years they’ll probably have the same," Trump said.

Building on its competition with the United States, China's involvement in these talks has been widely interpreted as an attempt to position itself as an alternative problem solver on the world stage as Trump isolates allies with his aggressive tariff policies and dwindling support for Ukraine.