Official Says China Shares View on Iran

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick says his talks in Beijing showed China shares the international view on stopping Iran’s nuclear program.

In his talks with Chinese leaders, Zoellick said he argued that China’s interest in maintaining oil and gas flow from Iran would be served by ensuring Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons, reports the Financial Times.

Zoellick said he told Chinese leaders Iran’s support for terrorism and the destruction of Israel made its push for nuclear weapons even more destabilizing.

I have no sense that the Chinese have a different view of the core principle [of stopping the nuclear program, Zoellick said at the end of a trip to the U.S. Pacific command, the report said.

He said instead of highlighting their differences with the United States on Iran, the Chinese very much emphasize they share that view.

He also said the United States and China had not agreed on the timing and tactics of any diplomatic action on the issue, the report said.