China urges efforts to promote talks on Iran nuclear issue

All parties should make efforts to maintain and promote the process of dialogue to find an appropriate settlement to the nuclear issue of Iran, a Chinese envoy to the United Nations said Thursday.

Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the statement at a UN Security Council meeting on the latest work of 1737 Committee, which is tasked with monitoring a set of sanctions against Iran in accordance with Resolution 1737 and subsequent Council resolutions.

"At this moment, the situation in the area is even more complicated," Wang said, "all parties should adhere to the efforts to maintain and promote the process of dialogue and to find negotiated and appropriate settlement to Iran nuclear issue."

This will be extremely important to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and to prevent a further turbulence of the situation there, he added.

China has always believed that the work of the committee and the panel of experts should help the parties to build confidence, carry out dialogues and negotiations and facilitate the process of diplomatic settlements, Wang said.

"Finding a negotiated and peaceful settlement to the Iranian issues through dialogue is the only correct and viable path. China is always opposed to the use or threat of use of force, nor is China in favor of exerting excessive pressure on Iran and taking new sanction measures against Iran."

Wang said that all parties should seize the opportunity to mobilize the positive factors to start a new round of dialogue as soon as possible, adding that China encourages Iran to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to promote positive results in their planned meeting on Sept.27.

"China has always stuck to an objective, responsible and fair approach to this issue and will continue to work with all sides to seek settlement of the issue through diplomatic means," he concluded.

Major Western powers suspect Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons through its nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for civilian purposes only. The UN Security Council has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Iran since 2006, including a ban on all items which could contribute to the Middle East country's enrichment of uranium, and arms sales and a freeze on assets.

Recently, both Iran's new government and world powers have shown interest for resuming nuclear talks after the last round of negotiations, which were held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in April but ended without yielding much practical results.