Beijing, March 25: China on Thursday called for continued dialogue to resolve the standoff over Iran’s nuclear programme, after it took part in six-way talks on possible new sanctions against Tehran.
“China urges all sides to use diplomatic means to peacefully resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiation,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.
“This is the best choice and it conforms to the interests of all sides as well as peace and stability in the region.”
The spokesman said Beijing would remain in “close consultations” with all parties on the issue.
China on Wednesday participated in telephone talks with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States on how to proceed on the Iran issue.
The UN Security Council already has slapped three rounds of sanctions on Tehran.
Iran says it needs to generate nuclear energy for its growing population which is already dependant on importing 40% of its gasoline needs.
China, a close ally of Tehran and now its top trading partner as a key buyer of its energy resources, is so far the only veto-wielding member of the Security Council that does not back further punitive action against Iran.
In the past, Beijing maintained a similar stance on sanctions, only to eventually acquiesce to watered-down measures.
Britain’s UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters in New York that officials from the six countries “have agreed they will have further discussions of possible measures (sanctions) early next week.”
Asked whether China’s presence signaled a willingness by Beijing to engage substantively in bargaining over a fourth round of sanctions, the British envoy said: “My understanding is that they have agreed to engage substantively.”
Meanwhile, Iran on Thursday dismissed as “worthless” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that a military strike against Tehran would be justified as “self-defence”.
Netanyahu’s comments “stem out of Satanic thoughts and are worthless,” ISNA news agency quoted Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying.
The Israeli leader’s comments made during a visit to Washington were “low life thoughts,” said Mehmanparast.
Israel is the only country in the Middle Ease that actually has nuclear bombs, and Tehran had repeatedly protested against Israeli war threats.
Iran also on Thursday urged the West to take action against Israel’s “state terrorism”.
“The action taken by Western countries should no longer be theatrical but should be practical (and) put a stop to the Zionist regime’s state terrorism,” ISNA news agency quoted Mehmanparast as saying.
Mehmanparast also slammed Netanyahu for saying that demands for a settlement freeze were “unreasonable,” and that Israeli-occupied Palestinian Jerusalem “is not a settlement” but Israel’s “capital.”
Palestinian East Jerusalem is considered by the international community to be illegally occupied by Israel, while Tel Aviv is recognised as Israel’s capital.
The Iranian spokesman said such a policy portrayed the “Zionist regime leaders’ habit of aggression and occupation.”
—Agencies