“China always sees dialogue and cooperation as the only correct way to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, and China encourages Iran to further its cooperation with the IAEA,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters on Friday.
Lei added that Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Iran and the IAEA held two days of talks in Tehran on January 17-18, 2013. Iran’s Ambassador to the IAEA Ali-Asghar Soltanieh said the next round of the talks was scheduled for February 12 or 13.
China, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, has repeatedly asserted Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy.
However, the United States, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
Iran has categorically rejected the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA, it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that the Iranian nuclear energy program has been diverted toward military objectives.
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