Putting pressure on Iran not to help solve Iran nuke issue: Chinese envoy

A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that putting pressure on Iran would not help solve the Iran nuclear issue after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board meeting passed a resolution to censure Tehran.

Wang Chang, deputy head of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, said that China voted against the resolution, proposed by the United States, Britain, France and Germany to criticize Iran for its nuclear safeguards issues, at the meeting of the IAEA board of governors earlier in the day.

Wang said that China is opposed to relevant countries putting pressure on Iran with the resolution, as the pressure campaign will not help solve problems, but intensify tensions and escalate the situation.

Such a confrontational move at the IAEA board meeting will only compromise the Iran-IAEA cooperation and undermine the negotiations on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which is in the final critical stage, he noted.

Talks in Vienna over restoring the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have stalled in recent months.

The Chinese envoy said that China supports the IAEA and Iran in resolving their disagreements on safeguards issues through dialogue and cooperation.

"The pressing task now is to conclude the Iran nuclear talks and bring the JCPOA back on track at an early date," Wang said. "We believe all of Iran's safeguards issues will be solved by then."

Wang noted that the United States, as the initiator of the current Iran nuclear crisis, should make political decisions as soon as possible and actively respond to Iran's legitimate concerns to push for an early deal in the nuclear talks.

"All relevant parties should create necessary conditions and a sound atmosphere for diplomatic efforts," he added.