China pledges continued efforts on Iranian nuclear issue

China will make unremitting efforts to promote a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, a Chinese envoy to the UN said Thursday.

"China welcomes the positive momentum demonstrated in the latest diplomatic efforts over the Iranian nuclear issue and welcomes that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has maintained consultation with Iran on outstanding issues and agreed on future steps," Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told a UN Security Council meeting here.

Talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany, the P5+1, took place in Vienna, Austria this week heading to a comprehensive deal to resolve Tehran's long-standing disputed nuclear program. They agreed that the next round of talks would reconvene on May 7 in Vienna.

Wang said the dialogue with Iran has entered "a new stage." Although differences remain on a number of issues, all parties have shown willingness to address other's concerns, he said.

Wang said that China proposes sticking to the process of P5+1 dialogue with Iran and bringing the mechanism into full play through joint commitment and consultation on an equal footing in order to solve the issue peacefully. He believed that it is crucial to approach the concerns of all parties in a balanced manner and seek a comprehensive, fair and appropriate long-term solution.

"We should follow the principle of step-by-step and reciprocal process," said Wang, noting that through working in the same direction and accumulating political mutual trust, all parties will be able to create conditions for an eventual breakthrough.

He called on all parties to display goodwill and faith, keep the overarching goal in sight, be patient and maintain a sound atmosphere for dialogue.

"While addressing the Iranian nuclear issue, all parties should also adopt a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination and work to develop more constructive bilateral and multilateral relationships, so as to pursue a holistic approach and address both symptoms and root cause of the issue," Wang said.

He said that China has always been trying to promote dialogue in an impartial and responsible manner and will continue to participate in the dialogue constructively. "China will make unremitting efforts to promote a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution to the Iranian nuclear issue," he said.

Iran and the six countries struck a landmark preliminary deal in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2013 whereby Tehran agreed to suspend its most sensitive nuclear operations in return for winning some relief from Western sanctions.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, but Western countries have long suspected Tehran of seeking the ability to develop a nuclear weapon.