China hopes that Iran's nuclear issue could be resolved peacefully through diplomatic channels, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan on Thursday.

China hopes that all parties concerned take concrete actions to ease the current tense situation, Kong said.

The pivotal point is to break the deadlock in negotiations over Iranian nuclear issue, which requires concerted efforts of all relevant parties, Kong said.

China would like to see that all parties concerned exercise great restraint, be patient and step up diplomatic efforts so as to create favorable conditions for the resumption of the talks before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convenes a meeting in February to discuss Iran's nuclear issue, Kong added.

"China welcomes all constructive proposals aimed at properly resolving Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic channels," Kong said.

He said China holds that the proposal raised by the Russian side is "a good trial of breaking the current stalemate" and worth serious discussion among the concerned parties.

Russia is helping Iran build its first nuclear power plant and has proposed that uranium enrichment -- the most sensitive part of the nuclear fuel cycle -- be carried out under a joint venture on Russian soil.

Kong expressed the hope that all sides can give the reins to wisdom, providing new proposals and creating a favorable condition for the reopening of the negotiation.

China has not received any formal invitation from the Iranian side to participate in the uranium enrichment activities in Russia, said Kong.

Kong noted that China opposes to using sanctions or threatening to use sanctions to resolve similar issues.

China put forward that the legal rights to peacefully use nuclear energy of all signatory countries to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation Nuclear Weapons should be respected, and the countries should also strictly abide by the rules and discharge their obligations.

On Thursday, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, who arrived in Beijing for a single day visit Thursday morning from Moscow.

Source: Xinhua