The top diplomats of China and Russia displayed unity at a meeting on Tuesday as they criticized sanctions brought against China by other countries over human rights. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held a joint press conference following talks in Guilin, China.

The two accused the United States of interfering in other countries’ affairs and encouraged it to return to the Iran Deal, while Wang said that all countries should stand together to oppose unilateral sanctions.

On Monday, the U.S., Canada, Britain and European Union(EU) announced sanctions against China over human rights abuses in Xinjiang, a coordinated effort at holding Beijing accountable for its suppression of ethnic minorities in the region.

The move comes after a tense high-level meeting between the U.S. and China, as well as growing calls for democracies to take joint action against the authoritarian government in Beijing.