Obama urges China to toe the line on Iran sanctions

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=122252§ionid=351020104


US President Barack Obama has urged his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao to assist Washington in its drive to impose further sanctions against Iran.

Obama made the request in an hour-long telephone call with the Chinese chief executive on Thursday.

According to the White House, Obama "underscored the importance of working together to ensure that Iran lives up to its international obligations."

Obama's remarks come just a day after Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili arrived in China to discuss a range of issues, including Tehran's nuclear work, with the Beijing officials.

"The West's efforts to prevent certain countries from acquiring nuclear technology could put global security in danger," Jalili said in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Thursday.

The Iranian negotiator further stressed that a full commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by all countries was the best way to ensure peace and stability in the world.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said Thursday that Beijing would seek a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

Qin Gang also declared China's support for Tehran's right to develop civil nuclear energy.

The US has stepped up its efforts to push other key world powers into passing new sanctions against Iran at the United Nations Security Council.

China and Russia, two of the five veto-wielding members of the council, have repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear issue.

Tehran, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, rejects the accusations that it is pursuing a military nuclear program, describing the allegations as "baseless" and "politically-motivated," and has opened its nuclear facilities to intrusive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The IAEA has in turn reported that there is no evidence of diversion of nuclear materials from civilian to military purposes by Iran.