China calls for talks, not sanctions, on Iran

Two weeks before an informal U.S. deadline for progress on Iran’s nuclear program, China says it opposes new sanctions against the Islamic republic and believes talks can still resolve the dispute.

Wu Jianmin, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, told reporters Tuesday that “Americans are too impatient. We have to talk to the Iranians. This is the best way to solve our differences.”

The Obama administration has sought talks with Iran, but the country has so far refused to begin negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said at a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday that Iran would deliver Wednesday a “package” of proposals to the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany that tackles nuclear and other “challenges,” Reuters news agency reported.

U.S. and European officials have been skeptical that Iran is prepared to make concessions, particularly about its enrichment of uranium.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday that discussions on the nuclear issue were “finished” and reiterated Iran’s right to a nuclear program.

President Obama has warned that Iran could face harsher sanctions if it does not begin talks before the end of this month, when the U.N. General Assembly meets and the G-20 group of industrial and top developing nations holds a summit in Pittsburgh.

However, China - which holds veto power on the U.N. Security Council - is a major trading partner of Iran.

“The Chinese are by nature very reluctant to take sanctions because the past experiences shows that they do not work,” Mr. Wu said. “The best way is the dialogue.”

He added that “the Chinese position concerning the Iranian nuclear issue still is that Iran should not possess the bomb, but it has the right to get peaceful nuclear energy.”

While Iran denies that its program is meant to build weapons, the same technology that can be used to make fuel for civilian nuclear reactors can also be used for bombs. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, has repeatedly asked Iran to clarify questions about suspected military aspects of the program.