Iran nuclear crisis can be resolved, says China

BEIJING (Reuters) – China, strengthening relations with
Iran through trade and energy deals, said there was still room
to defuse the international standoff over Tehran’s nuclear
ambitions through negotiation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing appealed to the
international community to be calm, restrained and patient and
to show flexibility for a resumption of negotiations between
Europe and Iran, Xinhua news agency said in an overnight
report.

“The days before the March 6 meeting of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are crucial,” Li was quoted as
saying after meeting visiting German Foreign Minister
Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Iran recently announced it was restarting uranium
enrichment work but insists it is interested only in civilian
nuclear power. The United States and the European Union suspect
Iran’s program is aimed at eventually making atomic weapons.

The United States and the EU trio of Britain, France and
Germany may refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for
sanctions after a March 6 meeting of the IAEA reports on Iran.

China has called on Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment.
But it has also repeatedly appealed for a diplomatic solution
to the crisis instead of sanctions while deepening economic
ties.

China National Heavy-Duty Truck Corp. on Tuesday signed a
contract to provide 10,000 trucks to Iran for $350 million,
Xinhua said on Thursday.

Booming China became a net exporter of vehicles for the
first time last year, mostly through focusing on cheap models
focused on developing markets like the Middle East.

Last week, China and Iran were reportedly on the verge of
finalizing a multi-billion dollar agreement to develop a major
oilfield in Iran.

China is one of Iran’s biggest oil export markets,
importing roughly 300,000 barrels of Iranian crude a day.

Iran and Russia are discussing a Russian offer to enrich
uranium for Iranian power plants on its own soil — seen by
some as a last chance to defuse the row over Iran’s nuclear
ambitions before Western governments seek sanctions.