China yesterday called for continued dialogue to resolve the international standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, saying there was “still room” for diplomacy.
“We believe that dialogue and negotiation are the proper way to resolve the Iran nuclear issue,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu (姜瑜) told reporters.
“We still have room for diplomatic efforts and we hope all parties will adopt more flexible and pragmatic policies to enhance the diplomatic efforts so as to promote an early resumption of talks,” she said.
The statement came after the US on Monday said “the door is still open” for Iran to meet world demands on its nuclear aims, but warned it was discussing with its allies the “next steps,” which could include sanctions.
Tehran has dismissed a US-set deadline of Dec. 31 to agree to a UN-brokered nuclear fuel swap deal and instead issued the West a one-month “ultimatum” expiring on Jan. 31 to accept a counter-proposal.
“The door is of course still open for Iran to do the right thing and live up to its international obligations,” said Bill Burton, a White House spokesman.
Separately, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US has discussed with its allies “pressure and sanctions” on Iran over its nuclear program, which the West suspects is a cover for atomic weapons-building.
The deal brokered by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), called on Tehran to ship most of its low enriched uranium (LEU) stockpile abroad to be further enriched into reactor fuel.
Despite the threat of tougher sanctions, Iran came out with its own proposal of a simultaneous and staged swap of LEU with reactor fuel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Tehran would press on with its plans to produce higher enriched nuclear fuel if there is no agreement.
On Monday, the Chinese spokeswoman, in a faxed statement, called for “consensus” on the IAEA proposal “by all concerned parties at an early date.”
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